Kathryn Bartley1, Wan Chen2,3, Richard I Lloyd Mills4, Francesca Nunn2, Daniel R G Price2, Stephane Rombauts5,6,7, Yves Van de Peer5,6,7,8, Lise Roy9, Alasdair J Nisbet2, Stewart T G Burgess2. 1. Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Edinburgh, Midlothian, EH26 0PZ, UK. kathryn.bartley@moredun.ac.uk. 2. Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Edinburgh, Midlothian, EH26 0PZ, UK. 3. Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3FX, UK. 4. Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK. 5. Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052, Ghent, Belgium. 6. VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 927, 9052, Ghent, Belgium. 7. Bioinformatics Institute Ghent, Ghent University, 9052, Ghent, Belgium. 8. Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Private bag X20, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa. 9. CEFE, CNRS, Univ Montpellier, Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The blood feeding poultry red mite (PRM), Dermanyssus gallinae, causes substantial economic damage to the egg laying industry worldwide, and is a serious welfare concern for laying hens and poultry house workers. In this study we have investigated the temporal gene expression across the 6 stages/sexes (egg, larvae, protonymph and deutonymph, adult male and adult female) of this neglected parasite in order to understand the temporal expression associated with development, parasitic lifestyle, reproduction and allergen expression. RESULTS: RNA-seq transcript data for the 6 stages were mapped to the PRM genome creating a publicly available gene expression atlas (on the OrcAE platform in conjunction with the PRM genome). Network analysis and clustering of stage-enriched gene expression in PRM resulted in 17 superclusters with stage-specific or multi-stage expression profiles. The 6 stage specific superclusters were clearly demarked from each other and the adult female supercluster contained the most stage specific transcripts (2725), whilst the protonymph supercluster the fewest (165). Fifteen pairwise comparisons performed between the different stages resulted in a total of 6025 Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) (P > 0.99). These data were evaluated alongside a Venn/Euler analysis of the top 100 most abundant genes in each stage. An expanded set of cuticle proteins and enzymes (chitinase and metallocarboxypeptidases) were identified in larvae and underpin cuticle formation and ecdysis to the protonymph stage. Two mucin/peritrophic-A salivary proteins (DEGAL6771g00070, DEGAL6824g00220) were highly expressed in the blood-feeding stages, indicating peritrophic membrane formation during feeding. Reproduction-associated vitellogenins were the most abundant transcripts in adult females whilst, in adult males, an expanded set of serine and cysteine proteinases and an epididymal protein (DEGAL6668g00010) were highly abundant. Assessment of the expression patterns of putative homologues of 32 allergen groups from house dust mites indicated a bias in their expression towards the non-feeding larval stage of PRM. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first evaluation of temporal gene expression across all stages of PRM and has provided insight into developmental, feeding, reproduction and survival strategies employed by this mite. The publicly available PRM resource on OrcAE offers a valuable tool for researchers investigating the biology and novel interventions of this parasite.
BACKGROUND: The blood feeding poultry red mite (PRM), Dermanyssus gallinae, causes substantial economic damage to the egg laying industry worldwide, and is a serious welfare concern for laying hens and poultry house workers. In this study we have investigated the temporal gene expression across the 6 stages/sexes (egg, larvae, protonymph and deutonymph, adult male and adult female) of this neglected parasite in order to understand the temporal expression associated with development, parasitic lifestyle, reproduction and allergen expression. RESULTS: RNA-seq transcript data for the 6 stages were mapped to the PRM genome creating a publicly available gene expression atlas (on the OrcAE platform in conjunction with the PRM genome). Network analysis and clustering of stage-enriched gene expression in PRM resulted in 17 superclusters with stage-specific or multi-stage expression profiles. The 6 stage specific superclusters were clearly demarked from each other and the adult female supercluster contained the most stage specific transcripts (2725), whilst the protonymph supercluster the fewest (165). Fifteen pairwise comparisons performed between the different stages resulted in a total of 6025 Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) (P > 0.99). These data were evaluated alongside a Venn/Euler analysis of the top 100 most abundant genes in each stage. An expanded set of cuticle proteins and enzymes (chitinase and metallocarboxypeptidases) were identified in larvae and underpin cuticle formation and ecdysis to the protonymph stage. Two mucin/peritrophic-A salivary proteins (DEGAL6771g00070, DEGAL6824g00220) were highly expressed in the blood-feeding stages, indicating peritrophic membrane formation during feeding. Reproduction-associated vitellogenins were the most abundant transcripts in adult females whilst, in adult males, an expanded set of serine and cysteine proteinases and an epididymal protein (DEGAL6668g00010) were highly abundant. Assessment of the expression patterns of putative homologues of 32 allergen groups from house dust mites indicated a bias in their expression towards the non-feeding larval stage of PRM. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first evaluation of temporal gene expression across all stages of PRM and has provided insight into developmental, feeding, reproduction and survival strategies employed by this mite. The publicly available PRM resource on OrcAE offers a valuable tool for researchers investigating the biology and novel interventions of this parasite.
Authors: Tommy Baumann; Urs Kämpfer; Stefan Schürch; Johann Schaller; Carlo Largiadèr; Wolfgang Nentwig; Lucia Kuhn-Nentwig Journal: Cell Mol Life Sci Date: 2010-04-06 Impact factor: 9.261
Authors: Kathryn Bartley; Harry W Wright; John F Huntley; Erin D T Manson; Neil F Inglis; Kevin McLean; Mintu Nath; Yvonne Bartley; Alasdair J Nisbet Journal: Int J Parasitol Date: 2015-08-19 Impact factor: 3.981
Authors: Stewart T G Burgess; Edward J Marr; Kathryn Bartley; Francesca G Nunn; Rachel E Down; Robert J Weaver; Jessica C Prickett; Jackie Dunn; Stephane Rombauts; Thomas Van Leeuwen; Yves Van de Peer; Alasdair J Nisbet Journal: BMC Genomics Date: 2019-10-23 Impact factor: 3.969