Authors:	Hartke, Juliane Ceron-Noriega, Alejandro Stoldt, Marah Sistermans, Tom Kever, Marion Fuchs, Jenny Butter, Falk Foitzik, Susanne
Title:	Long live the host! Proteomic analysis reveals possible strategies for parasitic manipulation of its social host
Online publication date:	1-Dec-2023
Year of first publication:	2023
Language:	english
Abstract:	Parasites with complex life cycles often manipulate the phenotype of their intermediate hosts to increase the probability of transmission to their definitive hosts. Infection with Anomotaenia brevis, a cestode that uses Temnothorax nylanderi ants as intermediate hosts, leads to a multiple-fold extension of host lifespan and to changes in behaviour, morphology and colouration. The mechanisms behind these changes are unknown, as is whether the increased longevity is achieved through parasite manipulation. Here, we demonstrate that the parasite releases proteins into its host with functions that might explain the observed changes. These parasitic proteins make up a substantial portion of the proteome of the hosts' haemolymph, and thioredoxin peroxidase and superoxide dismutase, two antioxidants, exhibited the highest abundances among them. The largest part of the secreted proteins could not be annotated, indicating they are either novel or severely altered during recent coevolution to function in host manipulation. We also detected shifts in the hosts' proteome with infection, in particular an overabundance of vitellogenin-like A in infected ants, a protein that regulates division of labour in Temnothorax ants, which could explain the observed behavioural changes. Our results thus suggest two different strategies that might be employed by this parasite to manipulate its host: secreting proteins with immediate influence on the host's phenotype and altering the host's translational activity. Our findings highlight the intricate molecular interplay required to influence the phenotype of a host and point to potential signalling pathways and genes involved in parasite–host communication.
DDC:	570 Biowissenschaften 570 Life sciences
Institution:	Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
Department:	FB 10 Biologie
Place:	Mainz
ROR:	https://ror.org/023b0x485
DOI:	http://doi.org/10.25358/openscience-9737
Version:	Published version
Publication type:	Zeitschriftenaufsatz
License:	CC BY-NC-ND
Information on rights of use:	https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Journal:	Molecular ecology 32 21
Pages or article number:	5877 5889
Publisher:	Wiley-Blackwell
Publisher place:	Oxford u.a
Issue date:	2023
ISSN:	0962-1083
Publisher DOI:	10.1111/mec.17155
Appears in collections:	DFG-491381577-H