Authors

VI Tyukmaeva²; H Al Ghafli¹; AJ Betancourt²; SM Barribeau²;  ¹ University of Glasgow , UK;  ² Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, Institute of Infection, Veterinary, and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, UK

Discussion

The overwhelming majority of trypanosomatid research focuses on the few species of medical relevance, however, the vast majority of trypanosomatids infect wild animal populations only. Recently, trypanosomatids have been discovered to be common insect parasites in the wild, including different species of Drosophila, which presents a great opportunity for insect-trypanosomatid research. Jaenimonas drosophilae, is a natural and virulent trypanosomatid parasite of Drosophila, that decreases fecundity and causes pupal mortality in D. melanogaster. Here, we investigate the genetics of diptera-trypanosomatid infection studied from both the host and parasite sides. To unveil the host response to the infection, we performed screening of ~140 Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel lines for susceptibility to the J. drosophilae which showed a wide variation in the parasite susceptibility, and further performed GWAS to investigate the genetic basis of the host response. To reveal the how the parasite overcomes Drosophila gut defences and establishes in the host, we sequenced J. drosophilae genome with PacBio and performed a transcriptome study to compare the parasite gene expression between the parasite during establishment in Drosophila gut and in vitro. The analysis of differentially expressed genes of parasite in the gut compared to in vitro log growth phase showed GO terms enrichment for metal ion binding pathway, and other genes involved in various processes such as ATP-binding and microtubule movement. Our study shows that the Jaenimonas-Drosophila system has a potential to be a powerful model for investigating the effects of trypanosomatids on insect hosts, and for further understanding insect immunity and host-parasite co-evolution.