Subtype analysis of zoonotic pathogen Cryptosporidium skunk genotype

Abstract

Cryptosporidium skunk genotype is a zoonotic pathogen commonly identified in surface water. Thus far, no subtyping tool exists for characterizing its transmission in humans and animals and transport in environment. In this study, a subtyping tool based on the 60 kDa glycoprotein (gp60) gene previously developed for Cryptosporidium chipmunk genotype I was used in the characterization of Cryptosporidium skunk genotype in animal and storm runoff samples from a watershed in New York. Altogether, 17 positive samples from this watershed and 5 human and animal specimens from other areas were analyzed. We identified 14 subtypes of Cryptosporidium skunk genotype, 11 of which were seen in the watershed. In phylogenetic analysis, these subtypes belonged to 4 subtype families (XVIa, XVIb, XVIc, and XVId). No host-adapted subtypes were identified and the two subtypes in humans were genetically similar to some in raccoons, otters, and storm runoff samples from the watershed. The characteristics of gp60 protein sequences of the Cryptosporidium skunk genotype are similar to those of other Cryptosporidium species, but only its XVIb subtype family has a putative furin cleavage site. This subtyping tool might be useful in characterizing Cryptosporidium skunk genotype in clinical and environmental samples.

Cryptosporidium viatorum from the native Australian swamp rat Rattus lutreolus - An emerging zoonotic pathogen?

“…The gp60 tree ( Fig. 2 ) suggests a strongly supported monophyletic clade for C. viatorum when compared to the other Cryptosporidium species for which there are gp60 sequences in GenBank ( Strong et al, 2000 , Power et al, 2009 , Li et al, 2014 , Stensvold et al, 2014 , Stensvold et al, 2015 , Huang et al, 2017 , Yan et al, 2017 ). The intraspecific variability of all the other major clades of Cryptosporidium species included within the gp60 tree ( Fig.…”

“…sp. skunk genotype ( Yan et al, 2017 )]. Amino acid sequences representing multiple members of each available gp60 subtype were included in the tree to provide comparative GP60 diversity within taxa ( Fig.…”

Microbial genomes from non-human primate gut metagenomes expand the primate-associated bacterial tree of life with over 1000 novel species

“…While the former is suggestive of recent inter-host transmission or common acquisition from common sources, the second can be the basis to study microbial evolution or diversification as a consequence of host speciation, especially if phylogenies can be dated using ancient microbiome samples [71] or other time constraints [72]. Our framework can thus be exploited to study inter-host species and zoonotic microbial transmission that is currently mostly limited to specific pathogens of interest [73][74][75][76][77][78]. The catalog of primate-associated microbial genomes can thus serve as a basis for a better comprehension of the human microbiome in light of recent and ancient cross-primate transmission and environmental acquisition of microbial diversity.…”

Development of a gp60-subtyping method for Cryptosporidium felis

“…The 60-kDa glycoprotein gene (gp60) is the most commonly used marker for subtyping of Cryptosporidium spp., mainly C. parvum and C. hominis, and has been a useful tool to study sources of infection, genetic diversity and host adaptation. Recently, subtyping methods targeting the gp60 gene of C. meleagridis, C. ubiquitum, C. viatorum, Cryptosporidium skunk genotype and chipmunk genotype I have been developed [13][14][15][16][17]. These additional subtyping tools are needed since the PCR primers designed on C. parvum and C. hominis sequences are not capable of amplifying efficiently the gp60 gene of these divergent Cryptosporidium spp.…”