Genome sequences of the human body louse and its primary endosymbiont provide insights into the permanent parasitic lifestyle.

As an obligatory parasite of humans, the body louse (Pediculus humanus humanus) is an important vector for human diseases, including epidemic typhus, relapsing fever, and trench fever. Here, we present genome sequences of the body louse and its primary bacterial endosymbiont Candidatus Riesia pediculicola. The body louse has the smallest known insect genome, spanning 108 Mb. Despite its status as an obligate parasite, it retains a remarkably complete basal insect repertoire of 10,773 protein-coding genes and 57 microRNAs. Representing hemimetabolous insects, the genome of the body louse thus provides a reference for studies of holometabolous insects. Compared with other insect genomes, the body louse genome contains significantly fewer genes associated with environmental sensing and response, including odorant and gustatory receptors and detoxifying enzymes. The unique architecture of the 18 minicircular mitochondrial chromosomes of the body louse may be linked to the loss of the gene encoding the mitochondrial single-stranded DNA binding protein. The genome of the obligatory louse endosymbiont Candidatus Riesia pediculicola encodes less than 600 genes on a short, linear chromosome and a circular plasmid. The plasmid harbors a unique arrangement of genes required for the synthesis of pantothenate, an essential vitamin deficient in the louse diet. The human body louse, its primary endosymbiont, and the bacterial pathogens that it vectors all possess genomes reduced in size compared with their free-living close relatives. Thus, the body louse genome project offers unique information and tools to use in advancing understanding of coevolution among vectors, symbionts, and pathogens.

Geographic distribution of phylogenetically-distinct legume pod borer, Maruca vitrata (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea: Crambidae).

Maruca vitrata Fabricius is a pantropical lepidopteran pest of legumes. Phylogenetic analysis of a mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase-I gene (cox1) fragment indicates that three Maruca sp. mitochondrial lineages have unique geographic distributions [lineages 1 and 2: Australia, Taiwan, and West Africa (Niger, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso), and lineage 3: Puerto Rico]. The haplotype (T30, T114) is specific to lineages 1&2 and was assayed by NsiI and SacI polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) within population samples; it was not observed in the Puerto Rican samples, but was nearly fixed among samples from West Africa, Australia and Taiwan (85.5-100%). Re-sequencing and phylogenetic analyses of PCR-RFLP defined cox1 haplotypes indicate that nucleotide diversity is highest among samples from West Africa. Phylogenetic reconstruction based upon ribosomal DNA (rDNA) internal transcribed spacer-2 (ITS-2) sequences provided additional evidence for three Maruca sp. clades. These data suggest that multiple unique Maruca species or subspecies are present worldwide, which has implications for the management of this pest species-complex.

A simplified arthropod genomic-DNA extraction protocol for polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based specimen identification through barcoding.

Genomic DNA extraction protocols generally require the use of expensive and hazardous reagents necessary for decontamination of phenolic compounds from the extracts. In addition, they are lengthy, hindering large-scale sample extractions necessary for high-throughput analyses. Here we describe a simple, time and cost-efficient method for genomic DNA extraction from insects. The extracted DNA was successfully used in a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), making it suitable for automation for large-scale genetic analysis and barcoding studies. The protocol employs a single purification step to remove polysaccharides and other contaminating compounds using a non-hazardous reagent buffer. In addition, we conducted a bioinformatics database analysis as proof of concept for the efficiency of the DNA extraction protocol by using universal barcoding primers specific for cytochrome c oxidase I gene to identify different arthropod specimens through Barcode of Life Database (BOLD) database search. The usefulness of this protocol in various molecular biology and biodiversity studies is further discussed.

Ecdysteroid titers and developmental expression of ecdysteroid-regulated genes during metamorphosis of the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae).

Ecdysteroid titers and expression profiles of ecdysone-regulated genes were determined during the last instar larval and during the pupal stages of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae). Three peaks of ecdysteroids occurring at approximately 24, 30-33 and 45-48h after ecdysis to the fourth instar larval stage were detected. In the pupa, a large peak of ecdysteroids occurred between 6 and 12h after ecdysis to the pupal stage. A small rise in ecdysteroids was also detected at the end of the pupal stage. Quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction analyses of the expression of ecdysone receptors and ecdysone-regulated genes showed that the peaks of expression of most of these genes coincided with the rise in ecdysteroid levels during the last larval and pupal stages. In the last larval stage, ecdysteroid titers and mRNA expression profiles of ecdysone-regulated genes are similar to those observed for Drosophila melanogaster. However, in the early pupal stage, both ecdysteroid titers and the expression of ecdysone-regulated genes are somewhat different from those observed in D. melanogaster, probably because the duration of the pupal stage in D. melanogaster is 84h while in Ae. aeqypti the duration is only 48h. These data which describe the relationship between ecdysteroid titers and mRNA levels of Ae. aegypti ecdysteroid-regulated genes lay a solid foundation for future studies on the hormonal regulation of development in mosquitoes.

Simplify, simplify: Lifestyle and compact genome of the body louse provide a unique functional genomics opportunity.

The body louse, with its recently sequenced genome, is now primed to serve as a powerful model organism for addressing fundamental questions relating to how insects interact with their environment. One characteristic of the body louse that facilitates this research is the size of its genome-the smallest insect genome sequenced to date. This diminutive genome must nonetheless control an organism that senses and responds to its environment, reacting to threats of corporal and genomic integrity. Additionally, the body louse transmits several important human diseases compared to its very close relative, the head louse, which does not. Therefore, these two organisms comprise an excellent model system for studying molecular mechanisms associated with vector competence. To understand more fully the development of vector/pathogen interactions, we have developed an in vitro bioassay system and determined that the body louse genome appears to contain the genes necessary for RNAi. The body louse will therefore be useful for determining the set of conditions permissive to the evolution of vector competence.

Mitochondrial genome sequence and expression profiling for the legume pod borer Maruca vitrata (Lepidoptera: Crambidae).

We report the assembly of the 14,054 bp near complete sequencing of the mitochondrial genome of the legume pod borer (LPB), Maruca vitrata (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), which we subsequently used to estimate divergence and relationships within the lepidopteran lineage. The arrangement and orientation of the 13 protein-coding, 2 rRNA, and 19 tRNA genes sequenced was typical of insect mitochondrial DNA sequences described to date. The sequence contained a high A+T content of 80.1% and a bias for the use of codons with A or T nucleotides in the 3rd position. Transcript mapping with midgut and salivary gland ESTs for mitochondrial genome annotation showed that translation from protein-coding genes initiates and terminates at standard mitochondrial codons, except for the coxI gene, which may start from an arginine CGA codon. The genomic copy of coxII terminates at a T nucleotide, and a proposed polyadenylation mechanism for completion of the TAA stop codon was confirmed by comparisons to EST data. EST contig data further showed that mature M. vitrata mitochondrial transcripts are monocistronic, except for bicistronic transcripts for overlapping genes nd4/nd4L and nd6/cytb, and a tricistronic transcript for atp8/atp6/coxIII. This processing of polycistronic mitochondrial transcripts adheres to the tRNA punctuated cleavage mechanism, whereby mature transcripts are cleaved only at intervening tRNA gene sequences. In contrast, the tricistronic atp8/atp6/coxIII in Drosophila is present as separate atp8/atp6 and coxIII transcripts despite the lack of an intervening tRNA. Our results indicate that mitochondrial processing mechanisms vary between arthropod species, and that it is crucial to use transcriptional information to obtain full annotation of mitochondrial genomes.

Systems-scale analysis reveals pathways involved in cellular response to methamphetamine.

BACKGROUND: Methamphetamine (METH), an abused illicit drug, disrupts many cellular processes, including energy metabolism, spermatogenesis, and maintenance of oxidative status. However, many components of the molecular underpinnings of METH toxicity have yet to be established. Network analyses of integrated proteomic, transcriptomic and metabolomic data are particularly well suited for identifying cellular responses to toxins, such as METH, which might otherwise be obscured by the numerous and dynamic changes that are induced. METHODOLOGY/RESULTS: We used network analyses of proteomic and transcriptomic data to evaluate pathways in Drosophila melanogaster that are affected by acute METH toxicity. METH exposure caused changes in the expression of genes involved with energy metabolism, suggesting a Warburg-like effect (aerobic glycolysis), which is normally associated with cancerous cells. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that carbohydrate metabolism plays an important role in METH toxicity. In agreement with our hypothesis, we observed that increased dietary sugars partially alleviated the toxic effects of METH. Our systems analysis also showed that METH impacted genes and proteins known to be associated with muscular homeostasis/contraction, maintenance of oxidative status, oxidative phosphorylation, spermatogenesis, iron and calcium homeostasis. Our results also provide numerous candidate genes for the METH-induced dysfunction of spermatogenesis, which have not been previously characterized at the molecular level. CONCLUSION: Our results support our overall hypothesis that METH causes a toxic syndrome that is characterized by the altered carbohydrate metabolism, dysregulation of calcium and iron homeostasis, increased oxidative stress, and disruption of mitochondrial functions.

Transcriptome sequencing, and rapid development and application of SNP markers for the legume pod borer Maruca vitrata (Lepidoptera: Crambidae).

The legume pod borer, Maruca vitrata (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), is an insect pest species of crops grown by subsistence farmers in tropical regions of Africa. We present the de novo assembly of 3729 contigs from 454- and Sanger-derived sequencing reads for midgut, salivary, and whole adult tissues of this non-model species. Functional annotation predicted that 1320 M. vitrata protein coding genes are present, of which 631 have orthologs within the Bombyx mori gene model. A homology-based analysis assigned M. vitrata genes into a group of paralogs, but these were subsequently partitioned into putative orthologs following phylogenetic analyses. Following sequence quality filtering, a total of 1542 putative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were predicted within M. vitrata contig assemblies. Seventy one of 1078 designed molecular genetic markers were used to screen M. vitrata samples from five collection sites in West Africa. Population substructure may be present with significant implications in the insect resistance management recommendations pertaining to the release of biological control agents or transgenic cowpea that express Bacillus thuringiensis crystal toxins. Mutation data derived from transcriptome sequencing is an expeditious and economical source for genetic markers that allow evaluation of ecological differentiation.

Modeling-dependent protein characterization of the rice aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) superfamily reveals distinct functional and structural features.

The completion of the rice genome sequence has made it possible to identify and characterize new genes and to perform comparative genomics studies across taxa. The aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) gene superfamily encoding for NAD(P)(+)-dependent enzymes is found in all major plant and animal taxa. However, the characterization of plant ALDHs has lagged behind their animal- and prokaryotic-ALDH homologs. In plants, ALDHs are involved in abiotic stress tolerance, male sterility restoration, embryo development and seed viability and maturation. However, there is still no structural property-dependent functional characterization of ALDH protein superfamily in plants. In this paper, we identify members of the rice ALDH gene superfamily and use the evolutionary nesting events of retrotransposons and protein-modeling-based structural reconstitution to report the genetic and molecular and structural features of each member of the rice ALDH superfamily in abiotic/biotic stress responses and developmental processes. Our results indicate that rice-ALDHs are the most expanded plant ALDHs ever characterized. This work represents the first report of specific structural features mediating functionality of the whole families of ALDHs in an organism ever characterized.