The immunology and genetics of resistance of sheep to Teladorsagia circumcincta

Teladorsagia circumcincta is one of the most economically important gastrointestinal nematode parasites of sheep in cool temperate regions, to which sheep show genetically-varying resistance to infection. This is a very common parasite and viable sheep production requires the extensive use of anthelmintic drugs. However, the emergence of drug-resistant parasites has stimulated the search for alternative control strategies to curb production losses. Lambs become infected soon after weaning and begin to control parasite burden within 8–10 weeks of continual infection. This control is an acquired characteristic mediated by the development of parasite-specific antibodies. This paper describes the immunology associated with resistance and susceptibility, focussing on differential T cell activation that regulates the production of specific effector mechanisms. It continues by summarizing the methods used to identify genes that could be exploited as molecular markers of selection for resistance. In particular it focusses on the link between understanding the molecular immunology of infection and the identification of candidate genes for selection.     

The molecular basis for recognition of bacterial ligands at equine TLR2, TLR1 and TLR6

TLR2 recognises bacterial lipopeptides and lipoteichoic acid, and forms heterodimers with TLR1 or TLR6. TLR2 is relatively well characterised in mice and humans, with published crystal structures of human TLR2/1/Pam3CSK4 and murine TLR2/6/Pam2CSK4. Equine TLR4 is activated by a different panel of ligands to human and murine TLR4, but less is known about species differences at TLR2. We therefore cloned equine TLR2, TLR1 and TLR6, which showed over 80% sequence identity with these receptors from other mammals, and performed a structure-function analysis. TLR2/1 and TLR2/6 from both horses and humans dose-dependently responded to lipoteichoic acid from Staphylococcus aureus, with no significant species difference in EC50 at either receptor pair. The EC50 of Pam2CSK4 was the same for equine and human TLR2/6, indicating amino acid differences between the two species’ TLRs do not significantly affect ligand recognition. Species differences were seen between the responses to Pam2CSK4 and Pam3CSK4 at TLR2/1. Human TLR2/1, as expected, responded to Pam3CSK4 with greater potency and efficacy than Pam2CSK4. At equine TLR2/1, however, Pam3CSK4 was less potent than Pam2CSK4, with both ligands having similar efficacies. Molecular modelling indicates that the majority of non-conserved ligand-interacting residues are at the periphery of the TLR2 binding pocket and in the ligand peptide-interacting regions, which may cause subtle effects on ligand positioning. These results suggest that there are potentially important species differences in recognition of lipopeptides by TLR2/1, which may affect how the horse deals with bacterial infections.     

Enzymatic activities and microbial communities in an Antarctic dry valley soil: Responses to C and N supplementation

The soils of the Antarctic dry valleys are exposed to extremely dry and cold conditions. Nevertheless, they contain small communities of micro-organisms that contribute to the biogeochemical transformations of the bioelements, albeit at slow rates. We have determined the dehydrogenase, β-glucosidase, acid and alkaline phosphatase and arylsulphatase activities and the rates of respiration (CO₂ production) in laboratory assays of soils collected from a field experiment in an Antarctic dry valley. The objective of the field experiment was to test the responses of the soil microbial community to additions of C and N in simple (glucose and NH₄Cl) and complex forms (glycine and lacustrine detritus from the adjacent lake comprising principally cyanobacterial necromass). The soil samples were taken 3 years after the experimental treatments had been applied. In unamended soil, all enzyme activities and respiration were detected indicating that the enzymatic capacity to mineralize organic C, P and S compounds existed in the soil, despite the very low organic matter content. Relative to the control (unamended soil), respiration was significantly increased by all the experimental additions of C and N except the smallest NH₄Cl addition (1 mg N g⁻¹ soil) and the smallest detritus addition (1.5 mg C g⁻¹ soil and 0.13 mg N g⁻¹ soil). The activities of all enzymes except dehydrogenase were increased by C and combined large C (10 mg C g⁻¹ soil) and N additions, but either unchanged or diminished by addition of either N only or N (up to 10 mg N g⁻¹ soil) with only small C (1 mg C g⁻¹ soil) additions in the form of glucose and NH₄Cl. This suggests that in the presence of a large amount of N, the C supply for enzyme biosynthesis was limited. When normalized with respect to soil respiration, only arylsulphatase per unit of respiration showed a significant increase with C and N additions as glucose and NH₄Cl, consistent with S limitation when C and N limitations have been alleviated. Based on the positive responses of enzyme activity, detritus appeared to provide either conditions or resources which led to a larger biological response than a similar amount of C and more N added in the form of defined compounds (glucose, NH₄Cl or glycine). Assessment of the soil microbial community by ester-linked fatty acid (ELFA) analysis provided no evidence of changes in the community structure as a result of the C and N supplementation treatments. Thus the respiration and enzyme activity responses to supplementation occurred in an apparently structurally stable or unresponsive microbial community.     

Structural diversity and enzyme activity of volcanic soils at different stages of development and response to experimental disturbance

We investigated the phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) diversity and enzyme activities in soils from the volcano, Mt. Etna (Sicily). The soils were at sites which have been developing for different periods of time and have formed in volcanic lava of differing ages that have been supplemented with volcanic ejecta from subsequent eruptions. However, the plant communities indicated a marked successional difference between the sites and we have used this as a proxy for developmental stage. We have compared the structural and functional properties of the microbial communities in soils from the two sites and tested experimentally the hypothesis that the more diverse community was more resistant and resilient to disturbance. The experimental disturbance imposed was heating (60 °C for 48 h) and the recovery of enzyme activities (β-glucosidase, acid phosphatase and arylsulfatase) and structural properties (PLFA profiles) were then followed over six months. The microbial community in the soil from the older site was more structurally diverse and had a larger total PLFA concentration before disturbance than that of the soil from the younger site. The older soil community was not more resistant and resilient following an environmental disturbance as the younger soil community was equally or more resistant and resilient for all parameters. Changes in enzyme activities following disturbance were almost entirely attributable to changes in biomass (total PLFA).     

Effect of farm management on topsoil organic carbon and aggregate stability in water: A case study from Southwest England,UK

There are few reliable data sets to inspire confidence in policymakers that soil organic carbon (SOC) can be measured on farms. We worked with farmers in the Tamar Valley region of southwest England to select sampling sites under similar conditions (soil type, aspect and slope) and management types. Topsoils (2–15 cm) were sampled in autumn 2015, and percentage soil organic matter (%SOM) was determined by loss on ignition and used to calculate %SOC. We also used the stability of macroaggregates in cold water (WSA) (‘soil slaking’) as a measure of ‘soil health’ and investigated its relationship with SOC in the clay‐rich soils. %SOM was significantly different between management types in the order woodland (11.1%) = permanent pasture (9.5%) > ley‐arable rotation (7.7%) = arable (7.3%). This related directly to SOC stocks that were larger in fields under permanent pasture and woodland compared with those under arable or ley‐arable rotation whether corrected for clay content (F = 8.500, p < .0001) or not (F = 8.516, p < .0001). WSA scores were strongly correlated with SOC content whether corrected for clay content (SOC_adj R² = .571, p < .0001) or not (SOC_unadj R² = 0.490, p = .002). Time since tillage controlled SOC stocks and WSA scores, accounting for 75.5% and 51.3% of the total variation, respectively. We conclude that (1) SOC can be reliably measured in farmed soils using accepted protocols and related to land management and (2) WSA scores can be rapidly measured in clay soils and related to SOC stocks and soil management.     

Preventing dental calculus formation in lemurs (Lemur catta, Eulemur fulvus collaris) and baboons (Papio cynocephalus).

The prevention of calculus accumulation in exotic animals is a relatively unexplored topic. A 6-mo study in ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) and collared lemurs (Eulemur fulvus collaris) and two studies in baboons (Papio cynocephalus) (7.5 wks and 6.5 mo) tested the benefits of a primate diet coated with 0.6% sodium hexametaphosphate (HMP) in controlling calculus in these species using a sequential crossover design. The control regimen was an identical, but non-HMP-coated, dry primate chow. At study initiation, the primates were given a thorough dental prophylaxis and provided with the control diet or experimental diet. At the conclusion of the test period, the animals were anesthetized and examined for clinical calculus independently by two examiners. The animals were then given another dental prophylaxis, provided the alternate ration, and the foregoing procedures were repeated. When the animals were provided the HMP-coated diet, significant reductions in calculus formation of 48-62% were observed in the lemurs and the baboons. No clinically significant changes were observed in body weights or in blood chemistry values as a result of ingestion of the HMP-coated regimen.