Hooking the scientific community on thorny-headed worms: interesting and exciting facts, knowledge gaps and perspectives for research directions on Acanthocephala
Although interest in Acanthocephala seems to have reached only a small community of researchers worldwide, we show in this opinion article that this group of parasites is composed of excellent model organisms for studying key questions in parasite molecular biology and cytogenetics, evolutionary eco...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
EDP Sciences
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Parasite |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.parasite-journal.org/articles/parasite/full_html/2023/01/parasite230018/parasite230018.html |
| _version_ | 1797424593047126016 |
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| author | Perrot-Minnot Marie-Jeanne Cozzarolo Camille-Sophie Amin Omar Barčák Daniel Bauer Alexandre Filipović Marijić Vlatka García-Varela Martín Servando Hernández-Orts Jesús Yen Le T.T. Nachev Milen Orosová Martina Rigaud Thierry Šariri Sara Wattier Rémi Reyda Florian Sures Bernd |
| author_facet | Perrot-Minnot Marie-Jeanne Cozzarolo Camille-Sophie Amin Omar Barčák Daniel Bauer Alexandre Filipović Marijić Vlatka García-Varela Martín Servando Hernández-Orts Jesús Yen Le T.T. Nachev Milen Orosová Martina Rigaud Thierry Šariri Sara Wattier Rémi Reyda Florian Sures Bernd |
| author_sort | Perrot-Minnot Marie-Jeanne |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Although interest in Acanthocephala seems to have reached only a small community of researchers worldwide, we show in this opinion article that this group of parasites is composed of excellent model organisms for studying key questions in parasite molecular biology and cytogenetics, evolutionary ecology, and ecotoxicology. Their shared ancestry with free-living rotifers makes them an ideal group to explore the origins of the parasitic lifestyle and evolutionary drivers of host shifts and environmental transitions. They also provide useful features in the quest to decipher the proximate mechanisms of parasite-induced phenotypic alterations and better understand the evolution of behavioral manipulation. From an applied perspective, acanthocephalans’ ability to accumulate contaminants offers useful opportunities to monitor the impacts – and evaluate the possible mitigation – of anthropogenic pollutants on aquatic fauna and develop the environmental parasitology framework. However, exploring these exciting research avenues will require connecting fragmentary knowledge by enlarging the taxonomic coverage of molecular and phenotypic data. In this opinion paper, we highlight the needs and opportunities of research on Acanthocephala in three main directions: (i) integrative taxonomy (including non-molecular tools) and phylogeny-based comparative analysis; (ii) ecology and evolution of life cycles, transmission strategies and host ranges; and (iii) environmental issues related to global changes, including ecotoxicology. In each section, the most promising ideas and developments are presented based on selected case studies, with the goal that the present and future generations of parasitologists further explore and increase knowledge of Acanthocephala. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T08:04:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6c7af4997c1b4e2d94d0aea810112109 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1776-1042 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T08:04:25Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | EDP Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Parasite |
| spelling | doaj.art-6c7af4997c1b4e2d94d0aea8101121092023-12-03T00:28:34ZengEDP SciencesParasite1776-10422023-01-01302310.1051/parasite/2023026parasite230018Hooking the scientific community on thorny-headed worms: interesting and exciting facts, knowledge gaps and perspectives for research directions on AcanthocephalaPerrot-Minnot Marie-Jeanne0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3412-4282Cozzarolo Camille-Sophie1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9056-8622Amin Omar2Barčák Daniel3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5975-0899Bauer Alexandre4https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3162-9285Filipović Marijić Vlatka5https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0581-6511García-Varela Martín6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7050-8825Servando Hernández-Orts Jesús7https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8177-7959Yen Le T.T.8https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1465-4406Nachev Milen9https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2501-9157Orosová Martina10https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8934-9126Rigaud Thierry11https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0163-6639Šariri Sara12Wattier Rémi13https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5772-4681Reyda Florian14https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4543-2408Sures Bernd15https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6865-6186Biogéosciences, UMR 6282 CNRS, Université de BourgogneBiogéosciences, UMR 6282 CNRS, Université de BourgogneParasitology Center, Inc. (PCI) and Institute of Parasitic Diseases (IPD)Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of SciencesBiogéosciences, UMR 6282 CNRS, Université de BourgogneRuđer Bošković InstituteDepartamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoInstitute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of SciencesAquatic Ecology and Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-EssenAquatic Ecology and Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-EssenInstitute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of SciencesBiogéosciences, UMR 6282 CNRS, Université de BourgogneRuđer Bošković InstituteBiogéosciences, UMR 6282 CNRS, Université de BourgogneBiology Department and Biological Field Station, State University of New York at OneontaAquatic Ecology and Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-EssenAlthough interest in Acanthocephala seems to have reached only a small community of researchers worldwide, we show in this opinion article that this group of parasites is composed of excellent model organisms for studying key questions in parasite molecular biology and cytogenetics, evolutionary ecology, and ecotoxicology. Their shared ancestry with free-living rotifers makes them an ideal group to explore the origins of the parasitic lifestyle and evolutionary drivers of host shifts and environmental transitions. They also provide useful features in the quest to decipher the proximate mechanisms of parasite-induced phenotypic alterations and better understand the evolution of behavioral manipulation. From an applied perspective, acanthocephalans’ ability to accumulate contaminants offers useful opportunities to monitor the impacts – and evaluate the possible mitigation – of anthropogenic pollutants on aquatic fauna and develop the environmental parasitology framework. However, exploring these exciting research avenues will require connecting fragmentary knowledge by enlarging the taxonomic coverage of molecular and phenotypic data. In this opinion paper, we highlight the needs and opportunities of research on Acanthocephala in three main directions: (i) integrative taxonomy (including non-molecular tools) and phylogeny-based comparative analysis; (ii) ecology and evolution of life cycles, transmission strategies and host ranges; and (iii) environmental issues related to global changes, including ecotoxicology. In each section, the most promising ideas and developments are presented based on selected case studies, with the goal that the present and future generations of parasitologists further explore and increase knowledge of Acanthocephala.https://www.parasite-journal.org/articles/parasite/full_html/2023/01/parasite230018/parasite230018.htmlacanthocephalaenvironmental parasitologyhost rangesintegrative taxonomytransmission strategies |
| spellingShingle | Perrot-Minnot Marie-Jeanne Cozzarolo Camille-Sophie Amin Omar Barčák Daniel Bauer Alexandre Filipović Marijić Vlatka García-Varela Martín Servando Hernández-Orts Jesús Yen Le T.T. Nachev Milen Orosová Martina Rigaud Thierry Šariri Sara Wattier Rémi Reyda Florian Sures Bernd Hooking the scientific community on thorny-headed worms: interesting and exciting facts, knowledge gaps and perspectives for research directions on Acanthocephala Parasite acanthocephala environmental parasitology host ranges integrative taxonomy transmission strategies |
| title | Hooking the scientific community on thorny-headed worms: interesting and exciting facts, knowledge gaps and perspectives for research directions on Acanthocephala |
| title_full | Hooking the scientific community on thorny-headed worms: interesting and exciting facts, knowledge gaps and perspectives for research directions on Acanthocephala |
| title_fullStr | Hooking the scientific community on thorny-headed worms: interesting and exciting facts, knowledge gaps and perspectives for research directions on Acanthocephala |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hooking the scientific community on thorny-headed worms: interesting and exciting facts, knowledge gaps and perspectives for research directions on Acanthocephala |
| title_short | Hooking the scientific community on thorny-headed worms: interesting and exciting facts, knowledge gaps and perspectives for research directions on Acanthocephala |
| title_sort | hooking the scientific community on thorny headed worms interesting and exciting facts knowledge gaps and perspectives for research directions on acanthocephala |
| topic | acanthocephala environmental parasitology host ranges integrative taxonomy transmission strategies |
| url | https://www.parasite-journal.org/articles/parasite/full_html/2023/01/parasite230018/parasite230018.html |
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