A model species for agricultural pest genomics: the genome of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

The Colorado potato beetle is one of the most challenging agricultural pests to manage. It has shown a spectacular ability to adapt to a variety of solanaceaeous plants and variable climates during its global invasion, and, notably, to rapidly evolve insecticide resistance. To examine evidence of rapid evolutionary change, and to understand the genetic basis of herbivory and insecticide resistance, we tested for structural and functional genomic changes relative to other arthropod species using genome sequencing, transcriptomics, and community annotation. Two factors that might facilitate rapid evolutionary change include transposable elements, which comprise at least 17% of the genome and are rapidly evolving compared to other Coleoptera, and high levels of nucleotide diversity in rapidly growing pest populations. Adaptations to plant feeding are evident in gene expansions and differential expression of digestive enzymes in gut tissues, as well as expansions of gustatory receptors for bitter tasting. Surprisingly, the suite of genes involved in insecticide resistance is similar to other beetles. Finally, duplications in the RNAi pathway might explain why Leptinotarsa decemlineata has high sensitivity to dsRNA. The L. decemlineata genome provides opportunities to investigate a broad range of phenotypes and to develop sustainable methods to control this widely successful pest

RecombinantWolbachia surface protein (WSP)-induced T cell responses in Wuchereria bancrofti infections

Human lymphatic filariasis is a debilitating parasitic disease characterized by downregulation of the host’s immune response in asymptomatic carriers along with profound hyperreactivity in chronic patients apart from putatively immune endemic normals. The endosymbiont Wolbachia, a bacterium of filarial nematodes has received much attention as possible chemotherapeutic target and its involvement in disease pathogenesis. The role of recombinant Wolbachia surface protein (rWSP), one of the most abundantly expressed proteins of the endosymbiont, in modulating cell-mediated immune responses in patients harboring Wuchereria bancrofti infections was evaluated in the current study. rWSP-induced lymphoproliferation with peripheral blood mononuclear cells suggested an impaired proliferative response in asymptomatic microfilaremic (MF) and symptomatic chronic pathology (CP) patients compared to endemic normals (EN). This was further supported by a significantly diminished expression of CD69 along with elevated levels of CD127 and CD62L in filarial patients (MF and CP) compared to EN. Further, rWSP induced the expression of regulatory T cell markers CTLA-4 and CD25 along with suppressor cytokines IL-10 and TGF-β in MF and CP patients compared to EN. However, the rWSP-stimulated expression of IFN-γ was diminished significantly in filarial patients compared to endemic normals. Thus, these findings suggest that WSP may also contribute to the suppression of immune responses seen in filarial patients

Fictionalised stories co-produced with disadvantaged children and young people: uses with professionals

Satchwell explores the uses of a set of fictionalised short stories produced in a participatory research project with disadvantaged children and young people. The stories represent challenges and issues as expressed by young people themselves, such as bullying, family break-up, domestic violence, living with autism, and were constructed in complex collaborative ways which arguably increase their resonance and relevance for others. This chapter discusses evaluation of the stories with a range of professionals and students, who have considered them as resources for working with young people who face similar problems. Satchwell includes both positive and negative reactions to the stories, raising questions of reception and intention, realism and safety, and the affordances of fiction in working with young people as both creators and audiences

Prenatal immune priming in onchocerciasis—Onchocerca volvulus-specific cellular responsiveness and cytokine production in newborns from infected mothers

This study investigated the effect of maternal Onchocerca volvulus infection on humoral and cellular responsiveness in newborn children and their mothers. Onchocerca volvulus-specific IgG isotypes and IgE were significantly elevated in infected mothers and their infants. One year post partum, O. volvulus-specific IgG4 was strongly reduced in children of infected mothers, while IgG1 responses weakened only slightly. Umbilical cord mononuclear blood cells (UCBC) and peripheral blood cells (PBMC) from mothers proliferated in response to phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (Con A), and the bacterial antigens streptolysin-O (SL-O) or purified protein derivative (PPD). UCBC from neonates born to O. volvulus-infected mothers responded lower (P < 0.01) to Con A (at 5 μg/ml), PPD (at 10 and 50 μg/ml) and O. volvulus-derived antigens (OvAg) (at 35 μg/ml), and in parallel, a diminished cellular reactivity (P < 0.01) by PBMC was observed to OvAg in mothers positive for O. volvulus. Several Th1-type (IL-2, IL-12, interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)) and Th2-type (IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-13) cytokines were secreted by UCBC and PBMC in response to OvAg, bacterial SL-O and PHA. OvAg did not stimulate IL-2 and none of the mitogens or antigens induced production of IL-4 in neonates. In response to OvAg, substantially elevated (P < 0.01) amounts of IFN-γ were produced by UCBC from newborns of O. volvulus-infected mothers. UCBC secreted low levels of IL-5 and IL-13, while higher amounts of IL-10 were found (P < 0.01) in newborns from onchocerciasis-free mothers. In conclusion, maternal O. volvulus-infection will sensitize in utero parasite-specific cellular immune responsiveness in neonates and activate OvAg-specific production of several Th1- and Th2-type cytokines