Chai Wenmin, Mao Xianbing, Li Chunfeng, Zhu Liancai, He Zongyi, Wang Bochu
Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China.
Chongqing Xinstant Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China.
Appl Environ Microbiol. 2024 Sep 18;90(9):e0033324. doi: 10.1128/aem.00333-24. Epub 2024 Aug 7.
Parasites can manipulate host behavior to facilitate parasite transmission. One such host-pathogen interaction occurs between the fungus and the ghost moth is involved in the mummification process of infected host larvae. However, the underlying molecular and chemical mechanism for this phenomenon is unknown. We characterized the small molecules regulating host behaviors and the altered metabolites in infected and mummified host larvae. Lipid-related metabolites, such as phosphatidylcholine, were identified in infected and mummified larvae. Decreased levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) and elevated choline levels were observed in the brains of both the infected and mummified larvae. The aberrant activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and relative mRNA expression of (acetylcholinesterase) may mediate the altered transformation between ACh and choline, leading to the brain dysfunction of mummified larvae. Caspofungin treatment inhibited the mummification of infected larvae and the activity of AChE. These findings indicate the importance of ACh in the mummification of host larvae after infection.IMPORTANCE-infected ghost moth larvae are manipulated to move to the soil surface with their heads up in death. A fruiting body then grows from the caterpillar's head, eventually producing conidia for dispersal. However, the underlying molecular and chemical mechanism has not been characterized. In this study, we describe the metabolic profile of host larvae after infection. Altered metabolites, particularly lipid-related metabolites, were identified in infected and mummified larvae, suggesting that lipids are important in -mediated behavioral manipulation of host larvae. Decreased levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine were observed in both infected and mummified larvae brains. This suggests that altered or reduced acetylcholine can mediate brain dysfunction and lead to aberrant behavior. These results reveal the critical role of acetylcholine in the mummification process of infected host larvae.
寄生虫可以操纵宿主行为以促进寄生虫传播。一种这样的宿主 - 病原体相互作用发生在真菌与幽灵蛾之间，这一过程涉及受感染宿主幼虫的木乃伊化过程。然而，这种现象背后的分子和化学机制尚不清楚。我们对调节宿主行为的小分子以及受感染和木乃伊化宿主幼虫中发生变化的代谢物进行了表征。在受感染和木乃伊化的幼虫中鉴定出了与脂质相关的代谢物，如磷脂酰胆碱。在受感染和木乃伊化幼虫的大脑中均观察到神经递质乙酰胆碱（ACh）水平降低以及胆碱水平升高。乙酰胆碱酯酶（AChE）的异常活性和乙酰胆碱酯酶（acetylcholinesterase）的相对mRNA表达可能介导了ACh和胆碱之间变化的转化，导致木乃伊化幼虫的脑功能障碍。卡泊芬净处理抑制了受感染幼虫的木乃伊化以及AChE的活性。这些发现表明ACh在感染后宿主幼虫的木乃伊化过程中具有重要作用。重要性：受感染的幽灵蛾幼虫在死亡时会被操纵使其头部朝上移至土壤表面。然后一个子实体从毛虫头部生长出来，最终产生分生孢子用于传播。然而，其潜在的分子和化学机制尚未得到表征。在本研究中，我们描述了感染后宿主幼虫的代谢谱。在受感染和木乃伊化的幼虫中鉴定出了发生变化的代谢物，特别是与脂质相关的代谢物，这表明脂质在介导宿主幼虫的行为操纵中很重要。在受感染和木乃伊化幼虫的大脑中均观察到神经递质乙酰胆碱水平降低。这表明乙酰胆碱的改变或减少可介导脑功能障碍并导致异常行为。这些结果揭示了乙酰胆碱在受感染宿主幼虫的木乃伊化过程中的关键作用。
