Novel integrated computational AMP discovery approaches highlight diversity in the helminth AMP repertoire.

Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) are immune effectors that are key components of the invertebrate innate immune system providing protection against pathogenic microbes. Parasitic helminths (phylum Nematoda and phylum Platyhelminthes) share complex interactions with their hosts and closely associated mi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Allister Irvine, Darrin McKenzie, Ciaran J McCoy, Robert L J Graham, Ciaren Graham, Sharon A Huws, Louise E Atkinson, Angela Mousley
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2023-07-01
Series:PLoS Pathogens
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1011508&type=printable
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850134760858320896
author Allister Irvine
Darrin McKenzie
Ciaran J McCoy
Robert L J Graham
Ciaren Graham
Sharon A Huws
Louise E Atkinson
Angela Mousley
author_facet Allister Irvine
Darrin McKenzie
Ciaran J McCoy
Robert L J Graham
Ciaren Graham
Sharon A Huws
Louise E Atkinson
Angela Mousley
author_sort Allister Irvine
collection DOAJ
description Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) are immune effectors that are key components of the invertebrate innate immune system providing protection against pathogenic microbes. Parasitic helminths (phylum Nematoda and phylum Platyhelminthes) share complex interactions with their hosts and closely associated microbiota that are likely regulated by a diverse portfolio of antimicrobial immune effectors including AMPs. Knowledge of helminth AMPs has largely been derived from nematodes, whereas the flatworm AMP repertoire has not been described. This study highlights limitations in the homology-based approaches, used to identify putative nematode AMPs, for the characterisation of flatworm AMPs, and reveals that innovative algorithmic AMP prediction approaches provide an alternative strategy for novel helminth AMP discovery. The data presented here: (i) reveal that flatworms do not encode traditional lophotrochozoan AMP groups (Big Defensin, CSαβ peptides and Myticalin); (ii) describe a unique integrated computational pipeline for the discovery of novel helminth AMPs; (iii) reveal >16,000 putative AMP-like peptides across 127 helminth species; (iv) highlight that cysteine-rich peptides dominate helminth AMP-like peptide profiles; (v) uncover eight novel helminth AMP-like peptides with diverse antibacterial activities, and (vi) demonstrate the detection of AMP-like peptides from Ascaris suum biofluid. These data represent a significant advance in our understanding of the putative helminth AMP repertoire and underscore a potential untapped source of antimicrobial diversity which may provide opportunities for the discovery of novel antimicrobials. Further, unravelling the role of endogenous worm-derived antimicrobials and their potential to influence host-worm-microbiome interactions may be exploited for the development of unique helminth control approaches.
format Article
id doaj-art-62ce1f7d84c249d9a7183a1eaf8c3cd7
institution OA Journals
issn 1553-7366
1553-7374
language English
publishDate 2023-07-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS Pathogens
spelling doaj-art-62ce1f7d84c249d9a7183a1eaf8c3cd72025-08-20T02:31:38ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Pathogens1553-73661553-73742023-07-01197e101150810.1371/journal.ppat.1011508Novel integrated computational AMP discovery approaches highlight diversity in the helminth AMP repertoire.Allister IrvineDarrin McKenzieCiaran J McCoyRobert L J GrahamCiaren GrahamSharon A HuwsLouise E AtkinsonAngela MousleyAntimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) are immune effectors that are key components of the invertebrate innate immune system providing protection against pathogenic microbes. Parasitic helminths (phylum Nematoda and phylum Platyhelminthes) share complex interactions with their hosts and closely associated microbiota that are likely regulated by a diverse portfolio of antimicrobial immune effectors including AMPs. Knowledge of helminth AMPs has largely been derived from nematodes, whereas the flatworm AMP repertoire has not been described. This study highlights limitations in the homology-based approaches, used to identify putative nematode AMPs, for the characterisation of flatworm AMPs, and reveals that innovative algorithmic AMP prediction approaches provide an alternative strategy for novel helminth AMP discovery. The data presented here: (i) reveal that flatworms do not encode traditional lophotrochozoan AMP groups (Big Defensin, CSαβ peptides and Myticalin); (ii) describe a unique integrated computational pipeline for the discovery of novel helminth AMPs; (iii) reveal >16,000 putative AMP-like peptides across 127 helminth species; (iv) highlight that cysteine-rich peptides dominate helminth AMP-like peptide profiles; (v) uncover eight novel helminth AMP-like peptides with diverse antibacterial activities, and (vi) demonstrate the detection of AMP-like peptides from Ascaris suum biofluid. These data represent a significant advance in our understanding of the putative helminth AMP repertoire and underscore a potential untapped source of antimicrobial diversity which may provide opportunities for the discovery of novel antimicrobials. Further, unravelling the role of endogenous worm-derived antimicrobials and their potential to influence host-worm-microbiome interactions may be exploited for the development of unique helminth control approaches.https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1011508&type=printable
spellingShingle Allister Irvine
Darrin McKenzie
Ciaran J McCoy
Robert L J Graham
Ciaren Graham
Sharon A Huws
Louise E Atkinson
Angela Mousley
Novel integrated computational AMP discovery approaches highlight diversity in the helminth AMP repertoire.
PLoS Pathogens
title Novel integrated computational AMP discovery approaches highlight diversity in the helminth AMP repertoire.
title_full Novel integrated computational AMP discovery approaches highlight diversity in the helminth AMP repertoire.
title_fullStr Novel integrated computational AMP discovery approaches highlight diversity in the helminth AMP repertoire.
title_full_unstemmed Novel integrated computational AMP discovery approaches highlight diversity in the helminth AMP repertoire.
title_short Novel integrated computational AMP discovery approaches highlight diversity in the helminth AMP repertoire.
title_sort novel integrated computational amp discovery approaches highlight diversity in the helminth amp repertoire
url https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1011508&type=printable
work_keys_str_mv AT allisterirvine novelintegratedcomputationalampdiscoveryapproacheshighlightdiversityinthehelminthamprepertoire
AT darrinmckenzie novelintegratedcomputationalampdiscoveryapproacheshighlightdiversityinthehelminthamprepertoire
AT ciaranjmccoy novelintegratedcomputationalampdiscoveryapproacheshighlightdiversityinthehelminthamprepertoire
AT robertljgraham novelintegratedcomputationalampdiscoveryapproacheshighlightdiversityinthehelminthamprepertoire
AT ciarengraham novelintegratedcomputationalampdiscoveryapproacheshighlightdiversityinthehelminthamprepertoire
AT sharonahuws novelintegratedcomputationalampdiscoveryapproacheshighlightdiversityinthehelminthamprepertoire
AT louiseeatkinson novelintegratedcomputationalampdiscoveryapproacheshighlightdiversityinthehelminthamprepertoire
AT angelamousley novelintegratedcomputationalampdiscoveryapproacheshighlightdiversityinthehelminthamprepertoire