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Miniature spatial transcriptomics for studying parasite-endosymbiont relationships at the micro scale

Author

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  • Hailey Sounart

    (KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SciLifeLab)

  • Denis Voronin

    (Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health)

  • Yuvarani Masarapu

    (KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SciLifeLab)

  • Matthew Chung

    (Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health)

  • Sami Saarenpää

    (KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SciLifeLab)

  • Elodie Ghedin

    (Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health)

  • Stefania Giacomello

    (KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SciLifeLab)

Abstract

Several important human infectious diseases are caused by microscale-sized parasitic nematodes like filarial worms. Filarial worms have their own spatial tissue organization; to uncover this tissue structure, we need methods that can spatially resolve these miniature specimens. Most filarial worms evolved a mutualistic association with endosymbiotic bacteria Wolbachia. However, the mechanisms underlying the dependency of filarial worms on the fitness of these bacteria remain unknown. As Wolbachia is essential for the development, reproduction, and survival of filarial worms, we spatially explored how Wolbachia interacts with the worm’s reproductive system by performing a spatial characterization using Spatial Transcriptomics (ST) across a posterior region containing reproductive tissue and developing embryos of adult female Brugia malayi worms. We provide a proof-of-concept for miniature-ST to explore spatial gene expression patterns in small sample types, demonstrating the method’s ability to uncover nuanced tissue region expression patterns, observe the spatial localization of key B. malayi - Wolbachia pathway genes, and co-localize the B. malayi spatial transcriptome in Wolbachia tissue regions, also under antibiotic treatment. We envision our approach will open up new avenues for the study of infectious diseases caused by micro-scale parasitic worms.

Suggested Citation

  • Hailey Sounart & Denis Voronin & Yuvarani Masarapu & Matthew Chung & Sami Saarenpää & Elodie Ghedin & Stefania Giacomello, 2023. "Miniature spatial transcriptomics for studying parasite-endosymbiont relationships at the micro scale," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-19, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-42237-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42237-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Juan F. Quintana & Praveena Chandrasegaran & Matthew C. Sinton & Emma M. Briggs & Thomas D. Otto & Rhiannon Heslop & Calum Bentley-Abbot & Colin Loney & Luis de Lecea & Neil A. Mabbott & Annette MacLe, 2022. "Single cell and spatial transcriptomic analyses reveal microglia-plasma cell crosstalk in the brain during Trypanosoma brucei infection," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-19, December.
    2. Amichay Afriat & Vanessa Zuzarte-Luís & Keren Bahar Halpern & Lisa Buchauer & Sofia Marques & Ângelo Ferreira Chora & Aparajita Lahree & Ido Amit & Maria M. Mota & Shalev Itzkovitz, 2022. "A spatiotemporally resolved single-cell atlas of the Plasmodium liver stage," Nature, Nature, vol. 611(7936), pages 563-569, November.
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