Analysis of the gut-specific microbiome from field-captured tsetse flies, and its potential relevance to host trypanosome vector competence
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Date
2018
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BMC microbiology
Abstract
The tsetse fly (Glossina sp.) midgut is colonized by maternally transmitted and environmentally
acquired bacteria. Additionally, the midgut serves as a niche in which pathogenic African trypanosomes reside
within infected flies. Tsetse’s bacterial microbiota impacts many aspects of the fly’s physiology. However, little
is known about the structure of tsetse’s midgut-associated bacterial communities as they relate to geographically
distinct fly habitats in east Africa and their contributions to parasite infection outcomes. We utilized culture dependent
and independent methods to characterize the taxonomic structure and density of bacterial communities that reside
within the midgut of tsetse flies collected at geographically distinct locations in Kenya and Uganda.
Results: Using culture dependent methods, we isolated 34 strains of bacteria from four different tsetse species
(G. pallidipes, G. brevipalpis, G. fuscipes and G. fuscipleuris) captured at three distinct locations in Kenya. To
increase the depth of this study, we deep sequenced midguts from individual uninfected and trypanosome
infected G. pallidipes captured at two distinct locations in Kenya and one in Uganda. We found that tsetse’s
obligate endosymbiont, Wigglesworthia, was the most abundant bacterium present in the midgut of G. pallidipes, and
the density of this bacterium remained largely consistent regardless of whether or not its tsetse host was infected with
trypanosomes. These fly populations also housed the commensal symbiont Sodalis, which was found at significantly
higher densities in trypanosome infected compared to uninfected flies. Finally, midguts of field-captured G. pallidipes
were colonized with distinct, low density communities of environmentally acquired microbes that differed in
taxonomic structure depending on parasite infection status and the geographic location from which the flies
were collected.
Conclusions: The results of this study will enhance our understanding of the tripartite relationship between
tsetse, its microbiota and trypanosome vector competence. This information may be useful for developing
novel disease control strategies or enhancing the efficacy of those already in use.
Description
Keywords
Tsetse fly, Glossina, Symbiont, Wigglesworthia, Sodalis, Microbiota, African trypanosome, Metagenomics
Citation
Griffith, B. C., Weiss, B. L., Aksoy, E., Mireji, P. O., Auma, J. E., Wamwiri, F. N., ... & Aksoy, S. (2018). Analysis of the gut-specific microbiome from field-captured tsetse flies, and its potential relevance to host trypanosome vector competence. BMC microbiology, 18(1), 55-67. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-018-1284-7