Experimental Infection of the Biomphalaria glabrata Vector Snail by Schistosoma mansoni Parasites Drives Snail Microbiota Dysbiosis

Type Article
Date 2021-05
Language English
Author(s) Portet Anaïs1, Toulza Eve1, Lokmer Ana2, Huot Camille1, Duval David1, Galinier RichardORCID1, Gourbal BenjaminORCID1
Affiliation(s) 1 : IHPE, University Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, University Perpignan Via Domitia, 66860 Perpignan, France
2 : Laboratory of Eco-Anthropology UMR 7206 CNRS-MNHN-Paris 7, 75005 Paris, France
Source Microorganisms (2076-2607) (MDPI AG), 2021-05 , Vol. 9 , N. 5 , P. 1084 (20p.)
DOI 10.3390/microorganisms9051084
WOS© Times Cited 15
Note This article belongs to the Special Issue Schistosoma and Schistosomiasis
Keyword(s) microbiota, bacteria, Biomphalaria snail, Schistosoma infection, immune response, dysbiosis
Abstract

Host-parasite interaction can result in a strong alteration of the host-associated microbiota. This dysbiosis can affect the fitness of the host; can modify pathogen interaction and the outcome of diseases. Biomphalaria glabrata is the snail intermediate host of the trematode Schistosoma mansoni, the agent of human schistosomiasis, causing hundreds of thousands of deaths every year. Here, we present the first study of the snail bacterial microbiota in response to Schistosoma infection. We examined the interplay between B. glabrata, S. mansoni and host microbiota. Snails were infected and the microbiota composition was analysed by 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing approach. We demonstrated that the microbial composition of water did not affect the microbiota composition. Then, we characterised the Biomphalaria bacterial microbiota at the individual scale in both naive and infected snails. Sympatric and allopatric strains of parasites were used for infections and re-infections to analyse the modification or dysbiosis of snail microbiota in different host-parasite co-evolutionary contexts. Concomitantly, using RNAseq, we investigated the link between bacterial microbiota dysbiosis and snail anti-microbial peptide immune response. This work paves the way for a better understanding of snail/schistosome interaction and should have critical consequences in terms of snail control strategies for fighting schistosomiasis disease in the field.

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