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Mohd-Shaharuddin N, Lim YAL, Ngui R, Nathan S. Expression of Ascaris lumbricoides putative virulence-associated genes when infecting a human host. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:176. [PMID: 33757548 PMCID: PMC7985925 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04680-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ascaris lumbricoides is the most common causative agent of soil-transmitted helminth infections worldwide, with an estimated 450 million people infected with this nematode globally. It is suggested that helminths are capable of evading and manipulating the host immune system through the release of a spectrum of worm proteins which underpins their long-term survival in the host. We hypothesise that the worm overexpresses these proteins when infecting adults compared to children to cirvumvent the more robust defence mechanisms of adults. However, little is known about the parasite's genes and encoded proteins involved during A. lumbricoides infection. Hence, this study was conducted to assess the expression profile of putative virulence-associated genes during an active infection of adults and children. METHODS In this study, quantitative PCR was performed to evaluate the expression profile of putative virulence-associated genes in A. lumbricoides isolated from infected children and adults. The study was initiated by collecting adult worms expelled from adults and children following anthelminthic treatment. High-quality RNA was successfully extracted from each of six adult worms expelled by three adults and three children, respectively. Eleven putative homologues of helminth virulence-associated genes reported in previous studies were selected, primers were designed and specific amplicons of A. lumbricoides genes were noted. The expression profiles of these putative virulence-associated genes in A. lumbricoides from infected adults were compared to those in A. lumbricoides from infected children. RESULTS The putative virulence-associated genes VENOM, CADHERIN and PEBP were significantly upregulated at 166-fold, 13-fold and fivefold, respectively, in adults compared to children. Conversely, the transcription of ABA-1 (fourfold), CATH-L (threefold) and INTEGRIN (twofold) was significantly suppressed in A. lumbricoides from infected adults. CONCLUSIONS On the basis of the expression profile of the putative virulence-associated genes, we propose that the encoded proteins have potential roles in evasion mechanisms, which could guide the development of therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yvonne Ai Lian Lim
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Romano Ngui
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Sheila Nathan
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia.
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Wang T, Ma G, Ang CS, Korhonen PK, Koehler AV, Young ND, Nie S, Williamson NA, Gasser RB. High throughput LC-MS/MS-based proteomic analysis of excretory-secretory products from short-term in vitro culture of Haemonchus contortus. J Proteomics 2019; 204:103375. [PMID: 31071474 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2019.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Parasitic nematodes of humans, animals and plants have a major, adverse impact on global health and agricultural production worldwide. To cope with their surrounding environment in and the immune attack from the host, excretory-secretory (ES) proteins are released by nematodes to orchestrate or regulate parasite-host interactions. In the present study, we characterised the ES products from short-term (12 h) in vitro culture of different developmental stages/sexes of Haemonchus contortus (one of the most important parasitic nematodes of livestock animals worldwide) using a high throughput tandem mass-spectrometry, underpinned by the most recent genomic dataset. In total, 878 unique proteins from key developmental stages/sexes (third-stage and fourth-stage larvae, and female and male adults) were identified and quantified with high confidence. Bioinformatic analyses showed noteworthy ES protein alterations during the transition from the free-living to the parasitic phase, especially for proteins which are likely involved in nutrient digestion and acquisition as well as parasite-host interactions, such as proteolytic cascade-related peptidases, glycoside hydrolases, C-type lectins and sperm-coating protein/Tpx/antigen 5/pathogenesis related-1/Sc7 (= SCP/TAPS) proteins. Our findings provide an avenue to better explore interactive processes between the host and this highly significant parasitic nematode, to underpin the search for novel drug and vaccine targets. SIGNIFICANCE: The present study represents a comprehensive proteomic analysis of the secretome of key developmental stages/sexes of H. contortus maintained in short-term in vitro culture. High throughput LC-MS/MS analysis of ES products allowed the identification of a large repertoire of proteins (secretome) and the establishment of a new proteomic database for H. contortus. The secretome of H. contortus undergoes substantial changes during the nematode's transition from free-living to parasitic stages, suggesting a constant adaptation to different environments outside of and within the host animal. Understanding the host-parasite relationship at the molecular level could assist significantly in the development of intervention strategies (i.e. novel drugs and vaccines) against H. contortus and related nematodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wang
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
| | - Guangxu Ma
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
| | - Ching-Seng Ang
- Bio21 Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
| | - Pasi K Korhonen
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
| | - Anson V Koehler
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
| | - Neil D Young
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
| | - Shuai Nie
- Bio21 Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
| | - Nicholas A Williamson
- Bio21 Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
| | - Robin B Gasser
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
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Wang T, Ma G, Ang CS, Korhonen PK, Xu R, Nie S, Koehler AV, Simpson RJ, Greening DW, Reid GE, Williamson NA, Gasser RB. Somatic proteome of Haemonchus contortus. Int J Parasitol 2019; 49:311-320. [PMID: 30771357 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2018.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2018] [Revised: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Currently, there is a dearth of proteomic data to underpin fundamental investigations of parasites and parasitism at the molecular level. Here, using a high throughput LC-MS/MS-based approach, we undertook the first reported comprehensive, large-scale proteomic investigation of the barber's pole worm (Haemonchus contortus) - one of the most important parasitic nematodes of livestock animals worldwide. In total, 2487 unique H. contortus proteins representing different developmental stages/sexes (i.e. eggs, L3s and L4s, female (Af) and male (Am) adults) were identified and quantified with high confidence. Bioinformatic analyses of this proteome revealed substantial alterations in protein profiles during the life cycle, particularly in the transition from the free-living to the parasitic phase, and key groups of proteins involved specifically in feeding, digestion, metabolism, development, parasite-host interactions (including immunomodulation), structural remodelling of the body wall and adaptive processes during parasitism. This proteomic data set will facilitate future molecular, biochemical and physiological investigations of H. contortus and related nematodes, and the discovery of novel intervention targets against haemonchosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wang
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Guangxu Ma
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Ching-Seng Ang
- Bio21 Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Pasi K Korhonen
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Rong Xu
- Department of Biochemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science (LIMS), La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - Shuai Nie
- Bio21 Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Anson V Koehler
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Richard J Simpson
- Department of Biochemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science (LIMS), La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - David W Greening
- Department of Biochemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science (LIMS), La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - Gavin E Reid
- School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010 Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia; Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute. The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Nicholas A Williamson
- Bio21 Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Robin B Gasser
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
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Wang Z, Shibata M, Nguyen YTH, Hayata Y, Nonaka N, Maruyama H, Yoshida A. Development of nested multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the detection of Toxocara canis, Toxocara cati and Ascaris suum contamination in meat and organ meats. Parasitol Int 2018; 67:622-626. [PMID: 29920343 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2018.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Revised: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Ascarid Larva Migrans Syndrome (ascarid LMS) is a clinical syndrome in humans, caused by the migration of animal roundworm larvae such as Toxocara canis, Toxocara cati and Ascaris suum. Humans may acquire infection by ingesting embryonated eggs, or infective larvae of these parasites in contaminated meat and organ meats. To detect these pathogenic contaminations, a novel nested multiplex PCR system was developed. Our novel nested multiplex PCR assay showed specific amplification of T. canis, T. cati and Ascaris spp. Detection limit of the nested multiplex PCR was tested with serial dilution of T. canis, T. cati or A. suum genomic DNA (gDNA) from 100 pg to 100 ag and found to be 10 fg, 1 fg and 100 fg, respectively. When larvae were spiked into chicken liver tissue, DNA of T. canis and A. suum was detected from the liver spiked with a single larva, while the assay required at least 2 larvae of T. cati. Moreover, the ascarid DNA was detected from the liver of mice infected with 100 and 300 eggs of T. canis, T. cati or A. suum. This nested multiplex PCR assay could be useful for the detection of contamination with ascarid larvae in meat and organ meats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenzhen Wang
- Division of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, 5200 Kihara, Kiyotake-cho, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan
| | - Miho Shibata
- Division of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, 5200 Kihara, Kiyotake-cho, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan
| | - Yen Thi Hoang Nguyen
- Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitic Diseases, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, 1-1, Gakuen-Kibanadai Nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan; Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary medicine, Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Trau Quy, Gia Lam, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
| | - Yayoi Hayata
- Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitic Diseases, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, 1-1, Gakuen-Kibanadai Nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Nariaki Nonaka
- Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitic Diseases, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, 1-1, Gakuen-Kibanadai Nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Haruhiko Maruyama
- Division of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, 5200 Kihara, Kiyotake-cho, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan
| | - Ayako Yoshida
- Division of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, 5200 Kihara, Kiyotake-cho, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan; Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitic Diseases, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, 1-1, Gakuen-Kibanadai Nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan.
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Rougon-Cardoso A, Flores-Ponce M, Ramos-Aboites HE, Martínez-Guerrero CE, Hao YJ, Cunha L, Rodríguez-Martínez JA, Ovando-Vázquez C, Bermúdez-Barrientos JR, Abreu-Goodger C, Chavarría-Hernández N, Simões N, Montiel R. The genome, transcriptome, and proteome of the nematode Steinernema carpocapsae: evolutionary signatures of a pathogenic lifestyle. Sci Rep 2016; 6:37536. [PMID: 27876851 PMCID: PMC5120318 DOI: 10.1038/srep37536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema carpocapsae has been widely used for the biological control of insect pests. It shares a symbiotic relationship with the bacterium Xenorhabdus nematophila, and is emerging as a genetic model to study symbiosis and pathogenesis. We obtained a high-quality draft of the nematode’s genome comprising 84,613,633 bp in 347 scaffolds, with an N50 of 1.24 Mb. To improve annotation, we sequenced both short and long RNA and conducted shotgun proteomic analyses. S. carpocapsae shares orthologous genes with other parasitic nematodes that are absent in the free-living nematode C. elegans, it has ncRNA families that are enriched in parasites, and expresses proteins putatively associated with parasitism and pathogenesis, suggesting an active role for the nematode during the pathogenic process. Host and parasites might engage in a co-evolutionary arms-race dynamic with genes participating in their interaction showing signatures of positive selection. Our analyses indicate that the consequence of this arms race is better characterized by positive selection altering specific functions instead of just increasing the number of positively selected genes, adding a new perspective to these co-evolutionary theories. We identified a protein, ATAD-3, that suggests a relevant role for mitochondrial function in the evolution and mechanisms of nematode parasitism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Rougon-Cardoso
- Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional. Km 9.6 Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León, C.P. 36821 Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico.,Laboratory of Agrogenomic Sciences, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), ENES-León, 37684, León, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Mitzi Flores-Ponce
- Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional. Km 9.6 Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León, C.P. 36821 Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Hilda Eréndira Ramos-Aboites
- Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional. Km 9.6 Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León, C.P. 36821 Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Christian Eduardo Martínez-Guerrero
- Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional. Km 9.6 Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León, C.P. 36821 Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - You-Jin Hao
- College of Life Science, ChongQing Normal University, ChongQing 401331, China
| | - Luis Cunha
- Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Park Place, Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, Wales CF10 3US, UK
| | | | - Cesaré Ovando-Vázquez
- Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional. Km 9.6 Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León, C.P. 36821 Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - José Roberto Bermúdez-Barrientos
- Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional. Km 9.6 Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León, C.P. 36821 Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Cei Abreu-Goodger
- Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional. Km 9.6 Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León, C.P. 36821 Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Norberto Chavarría-Hernández
- Cuerpo Académico de Biotecnología Agroalimentaria. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo. Av. Universidad Km 1, Rancho Universitario, Tulancingo de Bravo, Hidalgo, C.P. 43600, Mexico
| | - Nelson Simões
- CIRN/Departamento de Biologia, Universidade dos Açores, Rua Mãe de Deus, 13. 9500-321 Ponta Delgada. S. Miguel-Açores, Portugal
| | - Rafael Montiel
- Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional. Km 9.6 Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León, C.P. 36821 Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
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Nguyen YTH, Wang Z, Maruyama H, Horii Y, Nonaka N, Yoshida A. Evaluation of real-time PCR assay for the detection of Ascaris suum
contamination in meat and organ meats. J Food Saf 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/jfs.12301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yen Thi Hoang Nguyen
- Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitic Diseases, Graduate School of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine; University of Miyazaki; 1-1, Gakuen-Kibanadai Nishi Miyazaki 889-2192 Japan
| | - Zhenzhen Wang
- Division of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine; University of Miyazaki; 5200 Kihara, Kiyotake-cho Miyazaki 889-1692 Japan
| | - Haruhiko Maruyama
- Division of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine; University of Miyazaki; 5200 Kihara, Kiyotake-cho Miyazaki 889-1692 Japan
- Division of International Cooperation & Education, Center for Animal Disease Control, University of Miyazaki; 1-1, Gakuen-Kibanadai Nishi Miyazaki 889-2192 Japan
| | - Yoichiro Horii
- Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitic Diseases, Graduate School of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine; University of Miyazaki; 1-1, Gakuen-Kibanadai Nishi Miyazaki 889-2192 Japan
- Division of International Cooperation & Education, Center for Animal Disease Control, University of Miyazaki; 1-1, Gakuen-Kibanadai Nishi Miyazaki 889-2192 Japan
| | - Nariaki Nonaka
- Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitic Diseases, Graduate School of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine; University of Miyazaki; 1-1, Gakuen-Kibanadai Nishi Miyazaki 889-2192 Japan
- Division of International Cooperation & Education, Center for Animal Disease Control, University of Miyazaki; 1-1, Gakuen-Kibanadai Nishi Miyazaki 889-2192 Japan
| | - Ayako Yoshida
- Division of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine; University of Miyazaki; 5200 Kihara, Kiyotake-cho Miyazaki 889-1692 Japan
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Schwarz EM, Hu Y, Antoshechkin I, Miller MM, Sternberg PW, Aroian RV. The genome and transcriptome of the zoonotic hookworm Ancylostoma ceylanicum identify infection-specific gene families. Nat Genet 2015; 47:416-22. [PMID: 25730766 PMCID: PMC4617383 DOI: 10.1038/ng.3237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2014] [Accepted: 02/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Hookworms infect over 400 million people, stunting and impoverishing them. Sequencing hookworm genomes and finding which genes they express during infection should help in devising new drugs or vaccines against hookworms. Unlike other hookworms, Ancylostoma ceylanicum infects both humans and other mammals, providing a laboratory model for hookworm disease. We determined an A. ceylanicum genome sequence of 313 Mb, with transcriptomic data throughout infection showing expression of 30,738 genes. Approximately 900 genes were upregulated during early infection in vivo, including ASPRs, a cryptic subfamily of activation-associated secreted proteins (ASPs). Genes downregulated during early infection included ion channels and G protein-coupled receptors; this downregulation was observed in both parasitic and free-living nematodes. Later, at the onset of heavy blood feeding, C-lectin genes were upregulated along with genes for secreted clade V proteins (SCVPs), encoding a previously undescribed protein family. These findings provide new drug and vaccine targets and should help elucidate hookworm pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erich M Schwarz
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Yan Hu
- 1] Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. [2] Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Igor Antoshechkin
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Melanie M Miller
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Paul W Sternberg
- 1] Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA. [2] Howard Hughes Medical Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Raffi V Aroian
- 1] Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. [2] Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
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Ganji S, Jenkins JN, Wubben MJ. Molecular characterization of the reniform nematode C-type lectin gene family reveals a likely role in mitigating environmental stresses during plant parasitism. Gene 2014; 537:269-78. [PMID: 24424511 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2013.12.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2013] [Revised: 12/18/2013] [Accepted: 12/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The reniform nematode, Rotylenchulus reniformis, is a damaging semi-endoparasitic pathogen of more than 300 plant species. Transcriptome sequencing of R. reniformis parasitic females revealed an enrichment for sequences homologous to C-type lectins (CTLs), an evolutionarily ancient family of Ca(+2)-dependent carbohydrate-binding proteins that are involved in the innate immune response. To gain further insight as to the potential role of CTLs in facilitating plant parasitism by R. reniformis, we performed a comprehensive assessment of the CTL gene family. 5'- and 3'-RACE experiments identified a total of 11 R. reniformis CTL transcripts (Rr-ctl-1 through Rr-ctl-11) that ranged in length from 1083 to 1,194 bp and showed 93-99% identity with one another. An alignment of cDNA and genomic sequences revealed three introns with the first intron residing within the 5'-untranslated region. BLAST analyses showed the closest homologs belonging to the parasitic nematodes Heligmosomoides polygyrus and Heterodera glycines. Rr-ctl-1, -2, and -3 were expressed throughout the R. reniformis life cycle; whereas, the remaining Rr-ctl genes showed life stage-specific expression. Quantitative real time RT-PCR determined that Rr-ctl transcripts were 839-fold higher in sedentary female nematodes than the next most abundant life stage. Predicted Rr-CTL peptides ranged from 301 to 338 amino acids long, possessed an N-terminal signal peptide for secretion, and contained a conserved CLECT domain, including the mannose-binding motifs EPN and EPD and the conserved WND motif that is required for binding Ca(+2). In addition, Rr-CTL peptides harbored repeats of a novel 17-mer motif within their C-terminus that showed similarity to motifs associated with bacterial ice nucleation proteins. In situ hybridization of Rr-ctl transcripts within sedentary females showed specific accumulation within the hypodermis of the body regions exposed to the soil environment; those structures embedded within the root during parasitism did not show Rr-ctl expression. A phylogenetic analysis of the Rr-CTL CLECT domain with homologous domains from other nematode species suggested that CTLs from animal- and plant-parasitic genera may have evolved in order to play an active role in the parasitic process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satish Ganji
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA.
| | - Johnie N Jenkins
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA; USDA-ARS, Crop Science Research Laboratory, Genetics and Precision Agriculture Research Unit, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA.
| | - Martin J Wubben
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA; USDA-ARS, Crop Science Research Laboratory, Genetics and Precision Agriculture Research Unit, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA.
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Functional study of a genetic marker allele associated with resistance to Ascaris suum in pigs. Parasitology 2014; 141:777-87. [DOI: 10.1017/s0031182013002175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARYTwo single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP TXNIP and SNP ARNT), both on chromosome 4, have been reported to be associated with roundworm (Ascaris suum) burden in pigs. In the present study, we selected pigs with two SNP TXNIP genotypes (AA; n = 24 and AB; n = 24), trickle-infected them with A. suum from 8 weeks of age until necropsy 8 weeks later, and tested the hypothesis that pigs with the AA genotype would have higher levels of resistance than pigs of AB genotype. We used different indicators of resistance (worm burden, fecal egg counts (FEC), number of liver white spots and A. suum-specific serum IgG antibody levels). Pigs of the AA genotype had lower mean macroscopic worm burden (2·4 vs 19·3; P = 0·06), lower mean total worm burden (26·5 vs 70·1; P = 0·09) and excreted fewer A. suum eggs at week 8 PI (mean number of eggs/g feces: 238 vs 1259; P = 0·14) than pigs of the AB genotype, as expected based on prior associations. The pigs were also genotyped at another locus (SNP ARNT) which showed a similar trend. This study provides suggestive evidence that resistant pigs may be selected using a genetic marker, TXNIP, and provides further support to the quantitative trait locus on chromosome 4.
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Wang T, Van Steendam K, Dhaenens M, Vlaminck J, Deforce D, Jex AR, Gasser RB, Geldhof P. Proteomic analysis of the excretory-secretory products from larval stages of Ascaris suum reveals high abundance of glycosyl hydrolases. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2013; 7:e2467. [PMID: 24098821 PMCID: PMC3789772 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2013] [Accepted: 08/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ascaris lumbricoides and Ascaris suum are socioeconomically important and widespread parasites of humans and pigs, respectively. The excretory-secretory (ES) molecules produced and presented at the parasite-host interface during the different phases of tissue invasion and migration are likely to play critical roles in the induction and development of protective immune and other host responses. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS The aim of this study was to identify the ES proteins of the different larval stages (L3-egg, L3-lung and L4) by LC-MS/MS. In total, 106 different proteins were identified, 20 in L3-egg, 45 in L3-lung stage and 58 in L4. Although most of the proteins identified were stage-specific, 15 were identified in the ES products of at least two stages. Two proteins, i.e. a 14-3-3-like protein and a serpin-like protein, were present in the ES products from the three different larval stages investigated. Interestingly, a comparison of ES products from L4 with those of L3-egg and L3-lung showed an abundance of metabolic enzymes, particularly glycosyl hydrolases. Further study indicated that most of these glycolytic enzymes were transcriptionally upregulated from L4 onwards, with a peak in the adult stage, particularly in intestinal tissue. This was also confirmed by enzymatic assays, showing the highest glycosidase activity in protein extracts from adult worms gut. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE The present proteomic analysis provides important information on the host-parasite interaction and the biology of the migratory stages of A. suum. In particular, the high transcriptional upregulation of glycosyl hydrolases from the L4 stage onwards reveals that the degradation of complex carbohydrates forms an essential part of the energy metabolism of this parasite once it establishes in the small intestine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wang
- Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Katleen Van Steendam
- Laboratory for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Maarten Dhaenens
- Laboratory for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Johnny Vlaminck
- Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dieter Deforce
- Laboratory for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Aaron R. Jex
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Robin B. Gasser
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter Geldhof
- Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- * E-mail:
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Abstract
Background The transcriptome of an organism can be studied with the analysis of expressed sequence tag (EST) data sets that offers a rapid and cost effective approach with several new and updated bioinformatics approaches and tools for assembly and annotation. The comprehensive analyses comprehend an organism along with the genome and proteome analysis. With the advent of large-scale sequencing projects and generation of sequence data at protein and cDNA levels, automated analysis pipeline is necessary to store, organize and annotate ESTs. Results TranSeqAnnotator is a workflow for large-scale analysis of transcriptomic data with the most appropriate bioinformatics tools for data management and analysis. The pipeline automatically cleans, clusters, assembles and generates consensus sequences, conceptually translates these into possible protein products and assigns putative function based on various DNA and protein similarity searches. Excretory/secretory (ES) proteins inferred from ESTs/short reads are also identified. The TranSeqAnnotator accepts FASTA format raw and quality ESTs along with protein and short read sequences and are analysed with user selected programs. After pre-processing and assembly, the dataset is annotated at the nucleotide, protein and ES protein levels. Conclusion TranSeqAnnotator has been developed in a Linux cluster, to perform an exhaustive and reliable analysis and provide detailed annotation. TranSeqAnnotator outputs gene ontologies, protein functional identifications in terms of mapping to protein domains and metabolic pathways. The pipeline is applied to annotate large EST datasets to identify several novel and known genes with therapeutic experimental validations and could serve as potential targets for parasite intervention. TransSeqAnnotator is freely available for the scientific community at http://estexplorer.biolinfo.org/TranSeqAnnotator/.
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