Transcriptomic Differences between Free-Living and Parasitic <i>Chilodonella uncinata</i> (Alveolata, Ciliophora)
<i>Chilodonella uncinata</i> is a facultatively parasitic ciliate, which can opportunistically parasitize on fish gills and fins, and sometimes even cause host mortality. Previous molecular studies of <i>C. uncinata</i> mainly focused on genetic diversity and molecular evolut...
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MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Microorganisms |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/10/8/1646 |
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| author | Xialian Bu Weishan Zhao Ming Li Wenxiang Li Shangong Wu Hong Zou Guitang Wang |
| author_facet | Xialian Bu Weishan Zhao Ming Li Wenxiang Li Shangong Wu Hong Zou Guitang Wang |
| author_sort | Xialian Bu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Chilodonella uncinata</i> is a facultatively parasitic ciliate, which can opportunistically parasitize on fish gills and fins, and sometimes even cause host mortality. Previous molecular studies of <i>C. uncinata</i> mainly focused on genetic diversity and molecular evolution. There are currently no transcriptome reports studying differences between free-living and parasitic <i>C. uncinata</i>. We addressed this by sequencing transcriptomes of these two <i>C. uncinata</i> lifestyle types using Smart-seq2 and Illumina HiSeq technologies. In total, 1040 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Compared with the free-living type, 494 genes of the parasitic type were downregulated and 546 genes were upregulated. These DEGs were identified through BLAST with NCBI-nr, Swiss-Port, and Pfam databases and then annotated by GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis. The results showed that parasitism-related genes such as heat shock proteins (HSPs), actin I, and leishmanolysin were significantly upregulated in parasitic <i>C. uncinata</i>. The ciliary-related dynein heavy chain also had a higher expression in parasitic <i>C. uncinata</i>. Furthermore, there were significant differences in the amino acid metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, and TCA cycle. This study increases the volume of molecular data available for <i>C. uncinata</i> and contributes to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the transition from a free-living to a parasitic lifestyle. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:53:34Z |
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| issn | 2076-2607 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:53:34Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
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| series | Microorganisms |
| spelling | doaj.art-16a7d5bb8b4e42938320c85f8103672b2023-11-30T22:02:23ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072022-08-01108164610.3390/microorganisms10081646Transcriptomic Differences between Free-Living and Parasitic <i>Chilodonella uncinata</i> (Alveolata, Ciliophora)Xialian Bu0Weishan Zhao1Ming Li2Wenxiang Li3Shangong Wu4Hong Zou5Guitang Wang6State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, and Key Laboratory of Aquaculture Disease Control, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, and Key Laboratory of Aquaculture Disease Control, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, and Key Laboratory of Aquaculture Disease Control, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, and Key Laboratory of Aquaculture Disease Control, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, and Key Laboratory of Aquaculture Disease Control, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, and Key Laboratory of Aquaculture Disease Control, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, and Key Laboratory of Aquaculture Disease Control, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China<i>Chilodonella uncinata</i> is a facultatively parasitic ciliate, which can opportunistically parasitize on fish gills and fins, and sometimes even cause host mortality. Previous molecular studies of <i>C. uncinata</i> mainly focused on genetic diversity and molecular evolution. There are currently no transcriptome reports studying differences between free-living and parasitic <i>C. uncinata</i>. We addressed this by sequencing transcriptomes of these two <i>C. uncinata</i> lifestyle types using Smart-seq2 and Illumina HiSeq technologies. In total, 1040 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Compared with the free-living type, 494 genes of the parasitic type were downregulated and 546 genes were upregulated. These DEGs were identified through BLAST with NCBI-nr, Swiss-Port, and Pfam databases and then annotated by GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis. The results showed that parasitism-related genes such as heat shock proteins (HSPs), actin I, and leishmanolysin were significantly upregulated in parasitic <i>C. uncinata</i>. The ciliary-related dynein heavy chain also had a higher expression in parasitic <i>C. uncinata</i>. Furthermore, there were significant differences in the amino acid metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, and TCA cycle. This study increases the volume of molecular data available for <i>C. uncinata</i> and contributes to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the transition from a free-living to a parasitic lifestyle.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/10/8/1646<i>Chilodonella uncinata</i>facultative parasitismtranscriptomemetabolismadaptation |
| spellingShingle | Xialian Bu Weishan Zhao Ming Li Wenxiang Li Shangong Wu Hong Zou Guitang Wang Transcriptomic Differences between Free-Living and Parasitic <i>Chilodonella uncinata</i> (Alveolata, Ciliophora) Microorganisms <i>Chilodonella uncinata</i> facultative parasitism transcriptome metabolism adaptation |
| title | Transcriptomic Differences between Free-Living and Parasitic <i>Chilodonella uncinata</i> (Alveolata, Ciliophora) |
| title_full | Transcriptomic Differences between Free-Living and Parasitic <i>Chilodonella uncinata</i> (Alveolata, Ciliophora) |
| title_fullStr | Transcriptomic Differences between Free-Living and Parasitic <i>Chilodonella uncinata</i> (Alveolata, Ciliophora) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Transcriptomic Differences between Free-Living and Parasitic <i>Chilodonella uncinata</i> (Alveolata, Ciliophora) |
| title_short | Transcriptomic Differences between Free-Living and Parasitic <i>Chilodonella uncinata</i> (Alveolata, Ciliophora) |
| title_sort | transcriptomic differences between free living and parasitic i chilodonella uncinata i alveolata ciliophora |
| topic | <i>Chilodonella uncinata</i> facultative parasitism transcriptome metabolism adaptation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/10/8/1646 |
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