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Limpanont Y, Phuphisut O, Reamtong O, Adisakwattana P. Recent advances in Schistosoma mekongi ecology, transcriptomics and proteomics of relevance to snail control. Acta Trop 2020; 202:105244. [PMID: 31669533 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.105244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Revised: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Mekong schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma mekongi is a public health problem that occurs along the border between southern Laos and northern Cambodia. Given its restricted distribution and low prevalence, eventual eradication via an effective control program can be expected to be successful. To achieve this goal detailed knowledge of its basic biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, and pathology is urgently required. In this regard, recent studies on transcriptome analysis of adult male and female S. mekongi worms, and proteome analysis of developmental stages have been reported and are discussed here. The biology, habitat, and distribution of the snail intermediate host Neotricula aperta, which are factors in disease transmission, are discussed in this review. These have initiated renewed interest in S. mekongi research and contributed promising data that will be utilized in the generation of effective control and prevention strategies.
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Hernández-Goenaga J, López-Abán J, Protasio AV, Vicente Santiago B, del Olmo E, Vanegas M, Fernández-Soto P, Patarroyo MA, Muro A. Peptides Derived of Kunitz-Type Serine Protease Inhibitor as Potential Vaccine Against Experimental Schistosomiasis. Front Immunol 2019; 10:2498. [PMID: 31736947 PMCID: PMC6838133 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a significant public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa, China, Southeast Asia, and regions of South and Central America affecting about 189 million people. Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitors have been identified as important players in the interaction of other flatworm parasites with their mammalian hosts. They are involved in host blood coagulation, fibrinolysis, inflammation, and ion channel blocking, all of them critical biological processes, which make them interesting targets to develop a vaccine. Here, we evaluate the protective efficacy of chemically synthesized T- and B-cell peptide epitopes derived from a kunitz protein from Schistosoma mansoni. Putative kunitz-type protease inhibitor proteins were identified in the S. mansoni genome, and their expression was analyzed by RNA-seq. Gene expression analyses showed that the kunitz protein Smp_147730 (Syn. Smp_311670) was dramatically and significantly up-regulated in schistosomula and adult worms when compared to the invading cercariae. T- and B-cell epitopes were predicted using bioinformatics tools, chemically synthesized, and formulated in the Adjuvant Adaptation (ADAD) vaccination system. BALB/c mice were vaccinated and challenged with S. mansoni cercariae. Kunitz peptides were highly protective in vaccinated BALB/c mice showing significant reductions in recovery of adult females (89-91%) and in the numbers of eggs trapped in the livers (77-81%) and guts (57-77%) of mice. Moreover, liver lesions were significantly reduced in vaccinated mice (64-65%) compared to infected control mice. The vaccination regime was well-tolerated with both peptides. We propose the use of these peptides, alone or in combination, as reliable candidates for vaccination against schistosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Hernández-Goenaga
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Group (e-INTRO), IBSAL-CIETUS (Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca-Research Centre for Tropical Diseases at the University of Salamanca), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Julio López-Abán
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Group (e-INTRO), IBSAL-CIETUS (Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca-Research Centre for Tropical Diseases at the University of Salamanca), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Anna V. Protasio
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Belén Vicente Santiago
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Group (e-INTRO), IBSAL-CIETUS (Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca-Research Centre for Tropical Diseases at the University of Salamanca), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Esther del Olmo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, IBSAL-CIETUS, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Magnolia Vanegas
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Pedro Fernández-Soto
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Group (e-INTRO), IBSAL-CIETUS (Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca-Research Centre for Tropical Diseases at the University of Salamanca), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Manuel Alfonso Patarroyo
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Antonio Muro
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Group (e-INTRO), IBSAL-CIETUS (Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca-Research Centre for Tropical Diseases at the University of Salamanca), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
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Phuphisut O, Ajawatanawong P, Limpanont Y, Reamtong O, Nuamtanong S, Ampawong S, Chaimon S, Dekumyoy P, Watthanakulpanich D, Swierczewski BE, Adisakwattana P. Transcriptomic analysis of male and female Schistosoma mekongi adult worms. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:504. [PMID: 30201055 PMCID: PMC6131826 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-3086-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Schistosoma mekongi is one of five major causative agents of human schistosomiasis and is endemic to communities along the Mekong River in southern Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos) and northern Cambodia. Sporadic cases of schistosomiasis have been reported in travelers and immigrants who have visited endemic areas. Schistosoma mekongi biology and molecular biology is poorly understood, and few S. mekongi gene and transcript sequences are available in public databases. Results Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) of male and female S. mekongi adult worms (a total of three biological replicates for each sex) were analyzed and the results demonstrated that approximately 304.9 and 363.3 million high-quality clean reads with quality Q30 (> 90%) were obtained from male and female adult worms, respectively. A total of 119,604 contigs were assembled with an average length of 1273 nt and an N50 of 2017 nt. From the contigs, 20,798 annotated protein sequences and 48,256 annotated transcript sequences were obtained using BLASTP and BLASTX searches against the UniProt Trematoda database. A total of 4658 and 3509 transcripts were predominantly expressed in male and female worms, respectively. Male-biased transcripts were mostly involved in structural organization while female-biased transcripts were typically involved in cell differentiation and egg production. Interestingly, pathway enrichment analysis suggested that genes involved in the phosphatidylinositol signaling pathway may play important roles in the cellular processes and reproductive systems of S. mekongi worms. Conclusions We present comparative transcriptomic analyses of male and female S. mekongi adult worms, which provide a global view of the S. mekongi transcriptome as well as insights into differentially-expressed genes associated with each sex. This work provides valuable information and sequence resources for future studies of gene function and for ongoing whole genome sequencing efforts in S. mekongi. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-018-3086-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orawan Phuphisut
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Pravech Ajawatanawong
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Yanin Limpanont
- Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Onrapak Reamtong
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Supaporn Nuamtanong
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Sumate Ampawong
- Department of Tropical Pathology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Salisa Chaimon
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Paron Dekumyoy
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Dorn Watthanakulpanich
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Brett E Swierczewski
- Department of Enteric Diseases, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Poom Adisakwattana
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
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Dynamic transcriptomes identify biogenic amines and insect-like hormonal regulation for mediating reproduction in Schistosoma japonicum. Nat Commun 2017; 8:14693. [PMID: 28287085 PMCID: PMC5355954 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 01/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Eggs produced by the mature female parasite are responsible for the pathogenesis and transmission of schistosomiasis. Female schistosomes rely on a unique male-induced strategy to accomplish reproductive development, a process that is incompletely understood. Here we map detailed transcriptomic profiles of male and female Schistosoma japonicum across eight time points throughout the sexual developmental process from pairing to maturation. The dynamic gene expression pattern data reveal clear sex-related characteristics, indicative of an unambiguous functional division between males and females during their interplay. Cluster analysis, in situ hybridization and RNAi assays indicate that males likely use biogenic amine neurotransmitters through the nervous system to control and maintain pairing with females. In addition, the analyses indicate that reproductive development of females involves an insect-like hormonal regulation. These data sets and analyses serve as a foundation for deeper study of sexual development in this pathogen and identification of novel anti-schistosomal interventions.
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Gelmedin V, Morel M, Hahnel S, Cailliau K, Dissous C, Grevelding CG. Evidence for Integrin - Venus Kinase Receptor 1 Alliance in the Ovary of Schistosoma mansoni Females Controlling Cell Survival. PLoS Pathog 2017; 13:e1006147. [PMID: 28114363 PMCID: PMC5289644 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2016] [Revised: 02/02/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In metazoan integrin signaling is an important process of mediating extracellular and intracellular communication processes. This can be achieved by cooperation of integrins with growth factor receptors (GFRs). Schistosoma mansoni is a helminth parasite inducing schistosomiasis, an infectious disease of worldwide significance for humans and animals. First studies on schistosome integrins revealed their role in reproductive processes, being involved in spermatogenesis and oogenesis. With respect to the roles of eggs for maintaining the parasite´s life cycle and for inducing the pathology of schistosomiasis, elucidating reproductive processes is of high importance. Here we studied the interaction of the integrin receptor Smβ-Int1 with the venus kinase receptor SmVKR1 in S. mansoni. To this end we cloned and characterized SmILK, SmPINCH, and SmNck2, three putative bridging molecules for their role in mediating Smβ-Int1/SmVKR1 cooperation. Phylogenetic analyses showed that these molecules form clusters that are specific for parasitic platyhelminths as it was shown for integrins before. Transcripts of all genes colocalized in the ovary. In Xenopus oocytes germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) was only induced if all members were simultaneously expressed. Coimmunoprecipitation results suggest that a Smβ-Int1-SmILK-SmPINCH-SmNck2-SmVKR1 complex can be formed leading to the phosphorylation and activation of SmVKR1. These results indicate that SmVKR1 can be activated in a ligand-independent manner by receptor-complex interaction. RNAi and inhibitor studies to knock-down SmILK as a representative complex member concurrently revealed effects on the extracellular matrix surrounding the ovary and oocyte localization within the ovary, oocyte survival, and egg production. By TUNEL assays, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), Caspase-3 assay, and transcript profiling of the pro-apoptotic BCL-2 family members BAK/BAX we obtained first evidence for roles of this signaling complex in mediating cell death in immature and primary oocytes. These results suggest that the Smβ-Int1/SmVKR1 signaling complex is important for differentiation and survival in oocytes of paired schistosomes. Parasites of the genus Schistosoma cause schistosomiasis, a life-threatening infectious disease for humans and animals worldwide. Among the remarkable biological features of schistosomes is the differentiation of the female gonads which is controlled by pairing with the male and a prerequisite for egg production. Eggs, however, are not only important for the maintenance of the life-cycle; they also cause the pathological consequences of schistosomiasis. Part of the eggs gets trapped in host tissues such as liver and spleen and trigger inflammatory processes, finally leading to liver cirrhosis. Research activities of the last decade have indicated that different families of cellular and receptor-type kinases but also integrins contribute to the control of mitogenic activity and differentiation the female goands. In this context an unusual class of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) has been identified, the venus kinase receptors (SmVKRs). By biochemical and molecular approaches we demonstrate that SmVKR1 activation can be achieved by cooperation with a signaling complex consisting of the beta integrin receptor Smβ-Int1 and the bridging molecules SmILK, SmPINCH, SmNck2. Besides unravelling a novel way of SmVKR1 activation, we provide evidence that this complex controls the differentiation status of oocytes by regulating cell death-associated processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verena Gelmedin
- Institute for Parasitology, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Marion Morel
- CIIL – Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille Inserm U1019 - CNRS UMR 8204, University Lille, Lille, France
| | - Steffen Hahnel
- Institute for Parasitology, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Katia Cailliau
- UGSF - Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, CNRS UMR 8576, University Lille, Lille, France
| | - Colette Dissous
- CIIL – Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille Inserm U1019 - CNRS UMR 8204, University Lille, Lille, France
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Cai P, Liu S, Piao X, Hou N, You H, McManus DP, Chen Q. A next-generation microarray further reveals stage-enriched gene expression pattern in the blood fluke Schistosoma japonicum. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:19. [PMID: 28069074 PMCID: PMC5223471 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1947-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schistosomiasis is caused by infection with blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma, and ranks, in terms of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), as the third most important neglected tropical disease. Schistosomes have several discrete life stages involving dramatic morphological changes during their development, which require subtle gene expression modulations to complete the complex life-cycle. RESULTS In the current study, we employed a second generation schistosome DNA chip printed with the most comprehensive probe array for studying the Schistosoma japonicum transcriptome, to explore stage-associated gene expression in different developmental phases of S. japonicum. A total of 328, 95, 268 and 532 mRNA transcripts were enriched in cercariae, hepatic schistosomula, adult worms and eggs, respectively. In general, genes associated with transcriptional regulation, cell signalling and motor activity were readily expressed in cercariae; the expression of genes involved in neuronal activities, apoptosis and renewal was modestly upregulated in hepatic schistosomula; transcripts involved in egg production, nutrition metabolism and glycosylation were enriched in adult worms; while genes involved in cell division, microtubule-associated mobility, and host-parasite interplay were relatively highly expressed in eggs. CONCLUSIONS The study further highlights the expressional features of stage-associated genes in schistosomes with high accuracy. The results provide a better perspective of the biological characteristics among different developmental stages, which may open new avenues for identification of novel vaccine candidates and the development of novel control interventions against schistosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Cai
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China. .,Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Shuai Liu
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianyu Piao
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Nan Hou
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong You
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia
| | - Donald P McManus
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Qijun Chen
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China. .,Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Shenyang Agriculture University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.
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Li BW, McNulty SN, Rosa BA, Tyagi R, Zeng QR, Gu KZ, Weil GJ, Mitreva M. Conservation and diversification of the transcriptomes of adult Paragonimus westermani and P. skrjabini. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:497. [PMID: 27619014 PMCID: PMC5020434 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1785-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Paragonimiasis is an important and widespread neglected tropical disease. Fifteen Paragonimus species are human pathogens, but two of these, Paragonimus westermani and P. skrjabini, are responsible for the bulk of human disease. Despite their medical and economic significance, there is limited information on the gene content and expression of Paragonimus lung flukes. Results The transcriptomes of adult P. westermani and P. skrjabini were studied with deep sequencing technology. Approximately 30 million reads per species were assembled into 21,586 and 25,825 unigenes for P. westermani and P. skrjabini, respectively. Many unigenes showed homology with sequences from other food-borne trematodes, but 1,217 high-confidence Paragonimus-specific unigenes were identified. Analyses indicated that both species have the potential for aerobic and anaerobic metabolism but not de novo fatty acid biosynthesis and that they may interact with host signaling pathways. Some 12,432 P. westermani and P. skrjabini unigenes showed a clear correspondence in bi-directional sequence similarity matches. The expression of shared unigenes was mostly well correlated, but differentially expressed unigenes were identified and shown to be enriched for functions related to proteolysis for P. westermani and microtubule based motility for P. skrjabini. Conclusions The assembled transcriptomes of P. westermani and P. skrjabini, inferred proteins, and extensive functional annotations generated for this project (including identified primary sequence similarities to various species, protein domains, biological pathways, predicted proteases, molecular mimics and secreted proteins, etc.) represent a valuable resource for hypothesis driven research on these medically and economically important species. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-016-1785-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben-Wen Li
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Samantha N McNulty
- The McDonnell Genome Institute at Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Bruce A Rosa
- The McDonnell Genome Institute at Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Rahul Tyagi
- The McDonnell Genome Institute at Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Qing Ren Zeng
- Department of Parasitology, Xiang-Ya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Kong-Zhen Gu
- Department of Parasitology, Xiang-Ya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Gary J Weil
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Makedonka Mitreva
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA. .,The McDonnell Genome Institute at Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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Cai P, Liu S, Piao X, Hou N, Gobert GN, McManus DP, Chen Q. Comprehensive Transcriptome Analysis of Sex-Biased Expressed Genes Reveals Discrete Biological and Physiological Features of Male and Female Schistosoma japonicum. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0004684. [PMID: 27128440 PMCID: PMC4851400 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2016] [Accepted: 04/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a chronic and debilitating disease caused by blood flukes (digenetic trematodes) of the genus Schistosoma. Schistosomes are sexually dimorphic and exhibit dramatic morphological changes during a complex lifecycle which requires subtle gene regulatory mechanisms to fulfil these complex biological processes. In the current study, a 41,982 features custom DNA microarray, which represents the most comprehensive probe coverage for any schistosome transcriptome study, was designed based on public domain and local databases to explore differential gene expression in S. japonicum. We found that approximately 1/10 of the total annotated genes in the S. japonicum genome are differentially expressed between adult males and females. In general, genes associated with the cytoskeleton, and motor and neuronal activities were readily expressed in male adult worms, whereas genes involved in amino acid metabolism, nucleotide biosynthesis, gluconeogenesis, glycosylation, cell cycle processes, DNA synthesis and genome fidelity and stability were enriched in females. Further, miRNAs target sites within these gene sets were predicted, which provides a scenario whereby the miRNAs potentially regulate these sex-biased expressed genes. The study significantly expands the expressional and regulatory characteristics of gender-biased expressed genes in schistosomes with high accuracy. The data provide a better appreciation of the biological and physiological features of male and female schistosome parasites, which may lead to novel vaccine targets and the development of new therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Cai
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia
| | - Shuai Liu
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Xianyu Piao
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Nan Hou
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Geoffrey N. Gobert
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia
| | - Donald P. McManus
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia
| | - Qijun Chen
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Shenyang Agriculture University, Shenyang, P.R. China
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Liu GH, Xu MJ, Chang QC, Gao JF, Wang CR, Zhu XQ. De novo transcriptomic analysis of the female and male adults of the blood fluke Schistosoma turkestanicum. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:143. [PMID: 26968659 PMCID: PMC4788885 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1436-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2015] [Accepted: 03/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Schistosoma turkestanicum is a parasite of considerable veterinary importance as an agent of animal schistosomiasis in many countries, including China. The S. turkestanicum cercariae can also infect humans, causing cercarial dermatitis in many countries and regions of the world. In spite of its significance as a pathogen of animals and humans, there is little transcriptomic and genomic data in the public databases. Methods Herein, we performed the transcriptome Illumina RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) of adult males and females of S. turkestanicum and de novo transcriptome assembly. Results Approximately 81.1 (female) and 80.5 (male) million high-quality clean reads were obtained and then 29,526 (female) and 41,346 (male) unigenes were assembled. A total of 34,624 unigenes were produced from S. turkestanicum females and males, with an average length of 878 nucleotides (nt) and N50 of 1480 nt. Of these unigenes, 25,158 (72.7 %) were annotated by blast searches against the NCBI non-redundant protein database. Among these, 21,995 (63.5 %), 22,189 (64.1 %) and 13,754 (39.7 %) of the unigenes had significant similarity in the NCBI non-redundant protein (NR), non-redundant nucleotide (NT) and Swiss-Prot databases, respectively. In addition, 3150 unigenes were identified to be expressed specifically in females and 1014 unigenes were identified to be expressed specifically in males. Interestingly, several pathways associated with gonadal development and sex maintenance were found, including the Wnt signaling pathway (103; 2 %) and progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation (77; 1.5 %). Conclusions The present study characterized and compared the transcriptomes of adult female and male blood fluke, S. turkestanicum. These results will not only serve as valuable resources for future functional genomics studies to understand the molecular aspects of S. turkestanicum, but also will provide essential information for ongoing whole genome sequencing efforts on this pathogenic blood fluke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guo-Hua Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, PR China
| | - Min-Jun Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, PR China.,College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510642, PR China
| | - Qiao-Cheng Chang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, Heilongjiang Province, 163319, PR China
| | - Jun-Feng Gao
- Department of Parasitology, Heilongjiang Institute of Veterinary Science, Qiqihar, Heilongjiang Province, 161006, PR China
| | - Chun-Ren Wang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, Heilongjiang Province, 163319, PR China.
| | - Xing-Quan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, PR China. .,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, 225009, PR China.
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10
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Cai P, Gobert GN, You H, McManus DP. The Tao survivorship of schistosomes: implications for schistosomiasis control. Int J Parasitol 2016; 46:453-63. [PMID: 26873753 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2016.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2015] [Revised: 01/06/2016] [Accepted: 01/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis, caused by blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma, is a major public health problem which contributes substantially to the economic and financial burdens of many nations in the developing world. An array of survival strategies, such as the unique structure of the tegument which acts as a major host-parasite interface, immune modulation mechanisms, gene regulation, and apoptosis and self-renewal have been adopted by schistosome parasites over the course of long-term evolution with their mammalian definitive hosts. Recent generation of complete schistosome genomes together with numerous biological, immunological, high-throughput "-omics" and gene function studies have revealed the Tao or strategies that schistosomes employ not only to promote long-term survival, but also to ensure effective life cycle transmission. New scenarios for the future control of this important neglected tropical disease will present themselves as our understanding of these Tao increases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Cai
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Geoffrey N Gobert
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia
| | - Hong You
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia
| | - Donald P McManus
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia.
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Zhu L, Zhao J, Wang J, Hu C, Peng J, Luo R, Zhou C, Liu J, Lin J, Jin Y, Davis RE, Cheng G. MicroRNAs Are Involved in the Regulation of Ovary Development in the Pathogenic Blood Fluke Schistosoma japonicum. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1005423. [PMID: 26871705 PMCID: PMC4752461 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2015] [Accepted: 01/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomes, blood flukes, are an important global public health concern. Paired adult female schistosomes produce large numbers of eggs that are primarily responsible for the disease pathology and critical for dissemination. Consequently, understanding schistosome sexual maturation and egg production may open novel perspectives for intervening with these processes to prevent clinical symptoms and to interrupt the life-cycle of these blood-flukes. microRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of many biological processes including development, cell proliferation, metabolism, and signal transduction. Here, we report on the identification of Schistosoma japonicum miRNAs using small RNA deep sequencing in the key stages of male-female pairing, gametogenesis, and egg production. We identified 38 miRNAs, including 10 previously unknown miRNAs. Eighteen of the miRNAs were differentially expressed between male and female schistosomes and during different stages of sexual maturation. We identified 30 potential target genes for 16 of the S. japonicum miRNAs using antibody-based pull-down assays and bioinformatic analyses. We further validated some of these target genes using either in vitro luciferase assays or in vivo miRNA suppression experiments. Notably, suppression of the female enriched miRNAs bantam and miR-31 led to morphological alteration of ovaries in female schistosomes. These findings uncover key roles for specific miRNAs in schistosome sexual maturation and egg production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihui Zhu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Jiangping Zhao
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Jianbin Wang
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Chao Hu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Jinbiao Peng
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Rong Luo
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Chunjing Zhou
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Juntao Liu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Jiaojiao Lin
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Youxin Jin
- School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Richard E. Davis
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Guofeng Cheng
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
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Non-immune immunoglobulins shield Schistosoma japonicum from host immunorecognition. Sci Rep 2015; 5:13434. [PMID: 26299686 PMCID: PMC4547136 DOI: 10.1038/srep13434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2015] [Accepted: 07/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a major human parasitic disease with a global impact. Schistosoma japonicum, the most difficult to control, can survive within host veins for decades. Mechanisms of immune evasion by the parasite, including antigenic variation and surface masking, have been implicated but not well defined. In this study, we defined the immunoglobulin-binding proteomes of S. japonicum using human IgG, IgM, and IgE as the molecular bait for affinity purification, followed by protein identification by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Several proteins situated at the tegument of S. japonicum were able to nonselectively bind to the Fc domain of host immunoglobulins, indicating a mechanism for the avoidance of host immune attachment and recognition. The profile of the immunoglobulin-binding proteomes provides further clues for immune evasion mechanisms adopted by S. japonicum.
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Hu S, Li J, Xu F, Mei S, Le Duff Y, Yin L, Pang X, Cen S, Jin Q, Liang C, Guo F. SAMHD1 Inhibits LINE-1 Retrotransposition by Promoting Stress Granule Formation. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005367. [PMID: 26134849 PMCID: PMC4489885 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2014] [Accepted: 06/17/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The SAM domain and HD domain containing protein 1 (SAMHD1) inhibits retroviruses, DNA viruses and long interspersed element 1 (LINE-1). Given that in dividing cells, SAMHD1 loses its antiviral function yet still potently restricts LINE-1, we propose that, instead of blocking viral DNA synthesis by virtue of its dNTP triphosphohydrolase activity, SAMHD1 may exploit a different mechanism to control LINE-1. Here, we report a new activity of SAMHD1 in promoting cellular stress granule assembly, which correlates with increased phosphorylation of eIF2α and diminished eIF4A/eIF4G interaction. This function of SAMHD1 enhances sequestration of LINE-1 RNP in stress granules and consequent blockade to LINE-1 retrotransposition. In support of this new mechanism of action, depletion of stress granule marker proteins G3BP1 or TIA1 abrogates stress granule formation and overcomes SAMHD1 inhibition of LINE-1. Together, these data reveal a new mechanism for SAMHD1 to control LINE-1 by activating cellular stress granule pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqi Hu
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Jian Li
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Fengwen Xu
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Shan Mei
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Yann Le Duff
- Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Lijuan Yin
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Xiaojing Pang
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Shan Cen
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Qi Jin
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Chen Liang
- Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Fei Guo
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P. R. China
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Hou N, Piao X, Cai P, Wu C, Liu S, Xiao Y, Chen Q. A novel Schistosoma japonicum endonuclease homologous to DNase II. BMC Genomics 2015; 16:126. [PMID: 25766859 PMCID: PMC4349608 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-1319-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2014] [Accepted: 02/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Recent advances in studies of the Schistosoma japonicum genome have opened new avenues for the elucidation of parasite biology and the identification of novel targets for vaccines, drug development and early diagnostic tools. Results In this study, we surveyed the S. japonicum genome database for genes encoding nucleases. A total of 130 nucleases of 3 classes were found. Transcriptional analysis of these genes using a genomic DNA microarray revealed that the majority of the nucleases were differentially expressed in parasites of different developmental stages or different genders, whereas no obvious transcriptional variation was detected in parasites from different hosts. Further analysis of the putative DNases of S. japonicum revealed a novel DNase II homologue (Sjda) that contained a highly conserved catalytic domain. A recombinant Sjda-GST protein efficiently hydrolysed genomic DNA in the absence of divalent iron. Western-blot and immunofluorescence assays showed that Sjda was mainly expressed on the teguments of female adult parasites and induced early humoral immune responses in infected mice. Conclusions A novel DNase II homologue, Sjda, was identified in S. japonicum. Sjda was mainly distributed on the teguments of adult female parasites and possessed a typical divalent iron-independent DNA catalytic activity. This protein may play an important role in the host–parasite interaction. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-1319-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Hou
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Dong Dan San Tiao 9, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xianyu Piao
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Dong Dan San Tiao 9, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Pengfei Cai
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Dong Dan San Tiao 9, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Chuang Wu
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Dong Dan San Tiao 9, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Shuai Liu
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Dong Dan San Tiao 9, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yan Xiao
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Dong Dan San Tiao 9, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Qijun Chen
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Dong Dan San Tiao 9, Beijing, People's Republic of China. .,Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, Jilin University, Xi An Da Lu 5333, Changchun, People's Republic of China.
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15
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Piao X, Hou N, Cai P, Liu S, Wu C, Chen Q. Genome-wide transcriptome analysis shows extensive alternative RNA splicing in the zoonotic parasite Schistosoma japonicum. BMC Genomics 2014; 15:715. [PMID: 25156522 PMCID: PMC4203478 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2014] [Accepted: 08/19/2014] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schistosoma japonicum is a pathogen of the phylum Platyhelminthes that causes zoonotic schistosomiasis in China and Southeast Asian countries where a lack of efficient measures has hampered disease control. The development of tools for diagnosis of acute and chronic infection and for novel antiparasite reagents relies on understanding the biological mechanisms that the parasite exploits. RESULTS In this study, the polyadenylated transcripts from the male and female S. japonicum were sequenced using a high-throughput RNA-seq technique. Bioinformatic and experimental analyses focused on post-transcriptional RNA processing, which revealed extensive alternative splicing events in the adult stage of the parasite. The numbers of protein-coding sequences identified in the transcriptomes of the female and male S. japonicum were 15,939 and 19,501 respectively, which is more than predicted from the annotated genome sequence. Further, we identified four types of post-transcriptional processing, or alternative splicing, in both female and male worms of S. japonicum: exon skipping, intron retention, and alternative donor and acceptor sites. Unlike mammalian organisms, in S. japonicum, the alternative donor and acceptor sites were more common than the other two types of post-transcriptional processing. In total, respectively 13,438 and 16,507 alternative splicing events were predicted in the transcriptomes of female and male S. japonicum. CONCLUSIONS By using RNA-seq technology, we obtained the global transcriptomes of male and female S. japonicum. These results further provide a comprehensive view of the global transcriptome of S. japonicum. The findings of a substantial level of alternative splicing events dynamically occurring in S. japonicum parasitization of mammalian hosts suggest complicated transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation mechanisms employed by the parasite. These data should not only significantly improve the re-annotation of the genome sequences but also should provide new information about the biology of the parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Qijun Chen
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
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Schistosoma japonicum: Tsunagi/Y14 protein plays a critical role in the development of the reproductive organs and eggs. Exp Parasitol 2013; 135:430-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2013.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2013] [Revised: 07/31/2013] [Accepted: 08/06/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Marco A, Kozomara A, Hui JHL, Emery AM, Rollinson D, Griffiths-Jones S, Ronshaugen M. Sex-biased expression of microRNAs in Schistosoma mansoni. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2013; 7:e2402. [PMID: 24069470 PMCID: PMC3772069 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2012] [Accepted: 07/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is an important neglected tropical disease caused by digenean helminth parasites of the genus Schistosoma. Schistosomes are unusual in that they are dioecious and the adult worms live in the blood system. MicroRNAs play crucial roles during gene regulation and are likely to be important in sex differentiation in dioecious species. Here we characterize 112 microRNAs from adult Schistosoma mansoni individuals, including 84 novel microRNA families, and investigate the expression pattern in different sexes. By deep sequencing, we measured the relative expression levels of conserved and newly identified microRNAs between male and female samples. We observed that 13 microRNAs exhibited sex-biased expression, 10 of which are more abundant in females than in males. Sex chromosomes showed a paucity of female-biased genes, as predicted by theoretical evolutionary models. We propose that the recent emergence of separate sexes in Schistosoma had an effect on the chromosomal distribution and evolution of microRNAs, and that microRNAs are likely to participate in the sex differentiation/maintenance process. Schistosomiasis is the second most common disease caused by a parasite, affecting over 200 million people. The parasites involved are flatworms of the genus Schistosoma. Unlike most non-parasitic flatworms, Schistosoma species have separate sexes, and the emergence of sex has been associated with the development of a parasitic lifestyle. The identification of gene products that are expressed in a sex-biased fashion permits the study of the origin of sexual dimorphism and, in the case of the schistosomes, the evolution of a human parasite. Here we investigated the differential expression of microRNAs in male and female individuals of the species Schistosoma mansoni. MicroRNAs are crucial gene regulators. We observed that many new microRNAs emerged in the evolutionary lineage leading to the schistosomes. However, many sex-biased microRNAs were present in the hermaphrodite ancestor of the flatworms, and therefore acquired sex-biased expression later on. Our results suggest that changes in microRNA expression patterns were associated with the emergence of separate sexes in the schistosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Marco
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom
| | - Ana Kozomara
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Jerome H. L. Hui
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Aidan M. Emery
- Wolfson Wellcome Biomedical Laboratories, Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - David Rollinson
- Wolfson Wellcome Biomedical Laboratories, Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sam Griffiths-Jones
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (SGJ); (MR)
| | - Matthew Ronshaugen
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (SGJ); (MR)
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Mu Y, Huang H, Liu S, Cai P, Gao Y. Molecular characterization and ligand binding specificity of the PDZ domain-containing protein GIPC3 from Schistosoma japonicum. Parasit Vectors 2012; 5:227. [PMID: 23050840 PMCID: PMC3504512 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-5-227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2012] [Accepted: 10/05/2012] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Schistosomiasis is a serious global health problem that afflicts more than 230 million people in 77 countries. Long-term mass treatments with the only available drug, praziquantel, have caused growing concerns about drug resistance. PSD-95/Dlg/ZO-1 (PDZ) domain-containing proteins are recognized as potential targets for the next generation of drug development. However, the PDZ domain-containing protein family in parasites has largely been unexplored. Methods We present the molecular characteristics of a PDZ domain-containing protein, GIPC3, from Schistosoma japonicum (SjGIPC3) according to bioinformatics analysis and experimental approaches. The ligand binding specificity of the PDZ domain of SjGIPC3 was confirmed by screening an arbitrary peptide library in yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) assays. The native ligand candidates were predicted by Tailfit software based on the C-terminal binding specificity, and further validated by Y2H assays. Results SjGIPC3 is a single PDZ domain-containing protein comprised of 328 amino acid residues. Structural prediction revealed that a conserved PDZ domain was presented in the middle region of the protein. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that SjGIPC3 and other trematode orthologues clustered into a well-defined cluster but were distinguishable from those of other phyla. Transcriptional analysis by quantitative RT-PCR revealed that the SjGIPC3 gene was relatively highly expressed in the stages within the host, especially in male adult worms. By using Y2H assays to screen an arbitrary peptide library, we confirmed the C-terminal binding specificity of the SjGIPC3-PDZ domain, which could be deduced as a consensus sequence, -[SDEC]-[STIL]-[HSNQDE]-[VIL]*. Furthermore, six proteins were predicted to be native ligand candidates of SjGIPC3 based on the C-terminal binding properties and other biological information; four of these were confirmed to be potential ligands using the Y2H system. Conclusions In this study, we first characterized a PDZ domain-containing protein GIPC3 in S. japonicum. The SjGIPC3-PDZ domain is able to bind both type I and II ligand C-terminal motifs. The identification of native ligand will help reveal the potential biological function of SjGIPC3. These data will facilitate the identification of novel drug targets against S. japonicum infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Mu
- National Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Dept, of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100005, P,R, China
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Liu X, Song Y, Jiang N, Wang J, Tang B, Lu H, Peng S, Chang Z, Tang Y, Yin J, Liu M, Tan Y, Chen Q. Global gene expression analysis of the zoonotic parasite Trichinella spiralis revealed novel genes in host parasite interaction. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2012; 6:e1794. [PMID: 22953016 PMCID: PMC3429391 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2012] [Accepted: 07/12/2012] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Trichinellosis is a typical food-borne zoonotic disease which is epidemic worldwide and the nematode Trichinella spiralis is the main pathogen. The life cycle of T. spiralis contains three developmental stages, i.e. adult worms, new borne larva (new borne L1 larva) and muscular larva (infective L1 larva). Stage-specific gene expression in the parasites has been investigated with various immunological and cDNA cloning approaches, whereas the genome-wide transcriptome and expression features of the parasite have been largely unknown. The availability of the genome sequence information of T. spiralis has made it possible to deeply dissect parasite biology in association with global gene expression and pathogenesis. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS In this study, we analyzed the global gene expression patterns in the three developmental stages of T. spiralis using digital gene expression (DGE) analysis. Almost 15 million sequence tags were generated with the Illumina RNA-seq technology, producing expression data for more than 9,000 genes, covering 65% of the genome. The transcriptome analysis revealed thousands of differentially expressed genes within the genome, and importantly, a panel of genes encoding functional proteins associated with parasite invasion and immuno-modulation were identified. More than 45% of the genes were found to be transcribed from both strands, indicating the importance of RNA-mediated gene regulation in the development of the parasite. Further, based on gene ontological analysis, over 3000 genes were functionally categorized and biological pathways in the three life cycle stage were elucidated. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE The global transcriptome of T. spiralis in three developmental stages has been profiled, and most gene activity in the genome was found to be developmentally regulated. Many metabolic and biological pathways have been revealed. The findings of the differential expression of several protein families facilitate understanding of the molecular mechanisms of parasite biology and the pathological aspects of trichinellosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, Jilin University, Changchun, People's Republic of China
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Identification and characterization of argonaute protein, Ago2 and its associated small RNAs in Schistosoma japonicum. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2012; 6:e1745. [PMID: 22860145 PMCID: PMC3409120 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2012] [Accepted: 06/11/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The complex life cycle of the genus Schistosoma drives the parasites to employ subtle developmentally dependent gene regulatory machineries. Small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) are essential gene regulatory factors that, through their impact on mRNA and genome stability, control stage-specific gene expression. Abundant sncRNAs have been identified in this genus. However, their functionally associated partners, Argonaute family proteins, which are the key components of the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), have not yet been fully explored. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specific to Schistosoma japonicum Argonaute protein Ago2 (SjAgo2), but not SjAgo1 and SjAgo3, were generated. Soluble adult worm antigen preparation (SWAP) was subjected to immunoprecipitation with the mAbs and the captured SjAgo2 protein was subsequently confirmed by Western blot and mass spectrometry (MS) analysis. The small RNA population associated with native SjAgo2 in adult parasites was extracted from the immunoprecipitated complex and subjected to library construction. High-through-put sequencing of these libraries yielded a total of ≈50 million high-quality reads. Classification of these small RNAs showed that endogenous siRNAs (endo-siRNAs) generated from transposable elements (TEs), especially from the subclasses of LINE and LTR, were prominent. Further bioinformatics analysis revealed that siRNAs derived from ten types of well-defined retrotransposons were dramatically enriched in the SjAgo2-specific libraries compared to small RNA libraries constructed with total small RNAs from separated adult worms. These results suggest that a key function of SjAgo2 is to maintain genome stability through suppressing the activities of retrotransposons. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE In this study, we identified and characterized one of the three S. japonicum Argonautes, SjAgo2, and its associated small RNAs were found to be predominantly derived from particular classes of retrotransposons. Thus, a major function of SjAgo2 appears to associate with the maintenance of genome stability via suppression of retroelements. The data advance our understanding of the gene regulatory mechanisms in the blood fluke.
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Mourão MM, Grunau C, LoVerde PT, Jones MK, Oliveira G. Recent advances in Schistosoma genomics. Parasite Immunol 2012; 34:151-62. [PMID: 22145587 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3024.2011.01349.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Schistosome research has entered the genomic era with the publications reporting the Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma japonicum genomes. Schistosome genomics is motivated by the need for new control tools. However, much can also be learned about the biology of Schistosoma, which is a tractable experimental model. In this article, we review the recent achievements in the field of schistosome research and discuss future perspectives on genomics and how it can be integrated in a usable format, on the genetic mapping and how it has improved the genome assembly and provided new research approaches, on how epigenetics provides interesting insights into the biology of the species and on new functional genomics tools that will contribute to the understanding of the function of genes, many of which are parasite- or taxon specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- M M Mourão
- Genomics and Computational Biology Group, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Doenças Tropicais, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
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Lustigman S, Geldhof P, Grant WN, Osei-Atweneboana MY, Sripa B, Basáñez MG. A research agenda for helminth diseases of humans: basic research and enabling technologies to support control and elimination of helminthiases. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2012; 6:e1445. [PMID: 22545160 PMCID: PMC3335859 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Successful and sustainable intervention against human helminthiases depends on optimal utilisation of available control measures and development of new tools and strategies, as well as an understanding of the evolutionary implications of prolonged intervention on parasite populations and those of their hosts and vectors. This will depend largely on updated knowledge of relevant and fundamental parasite biology. There is a need, therefore, to exploit and apply new knowledge and techniques in order to make significant and novel gains in combating helminthiases and supporting the sustainability of current and successful mass drug administration (MDA) programmes. Among the fields of basic research that are likely to yield improved control tools, the Disease Reference Group on Helminth Infections (DRG4) has identified four broad areas that stand out as central to the development of the next generation of helminth control measures: 1) parasite genetics, genomics, and functional genomics; 2) parasite immunology; 3) (vertebrate) host–parasite interactions and immunopathology; and 4) (invertebrate) host–parasite interactions and transmission biology. The DRG4 was established in 2009 by the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR). The Group was given the mandate to undertake a comprehensive review of recent advances in helminthiases research in order to identify notable gaps and highlight priority areas. This paper summarises recent advances and discusses challenges in the investigation of the fundamental biology of those helminth parasites under the DRG4 Group's remit according to the identified priorities, and presents a research and development agenda for basic parasite research and enabling technologies that will help support control and elimination efforts against human helminthiases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Lustigman
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA.
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Liu S, Cai P, Hou N, Piao X, Wang H, Hung T, Chen Q. Genome-wide identification and characterization of a panel of house-keeping genes in Schistosoma japonicum. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2012; 182:75-82. [PMID: 22245333 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2011.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2011] [Revised: 12/29/2011] [Accepted: 12/30/2011] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), as one of the most sensitive and precise gene expression analysis methods, is frequently used to validate data obtained in high-through-put assays. qPCR requires reference genes with stable transcription for accurate normalization. However, no systematic studies on such genes have been performed in the genus Schistosoma japonicum. In this study, eight novel candidate genes selected from a microarray analysis and four commonly used reference genes were systematically validated in a series of qPCR experiments. Based on the results of geNorm, Normfinder, BestKeeper, and the comparative delta-cycle threshold (ΔCT) integrated analysis, the genes PSMD4, NDUFV2, and TPC2L were found to be most stably expressed in all S. japonicum developmental stages; meanwhile, ACTB and TUBA were found as the least stably expressed genes. This study provided, at the first time, data for genes that can be explored as reliable references in transcriptomic analysis of S. japonicum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Liu
- Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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Walker AJ. Insights into the functional biology of schistosomes. Parasit Vectors 2011; 4:203. [PMID: 22013990 PMCID: PMC3206467 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-4-203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2011] [Accepted: 10/20/2011] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The need to discover new treatments for human schistosomiasis has been an important driver for molecular research on schistosomes, a major breakthrough being the publication of the Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma japonicum genomes in 2009. This 'Primer' considers recent advances in the understanding of schistosome biology by providing a snapshot of selected areas of contemporary functional schistosome research, including that on the genome, the tegument, cell signalling and developmental biology, offering biologists a valuable insight into the life of these fascinating parasites at the basic and molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony John Walker
- School of Life Sciences, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT12EE, UK.
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New insight into praziquantel against various developmental stages of schistosomes. Parasitol Res 2011; 109:1501-7. [PMID: 21984370 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-011-2670-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2011] [Accepted: 09/27/2011] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Praziquantel, due to high efficacy, excellent tolerability, few and transient side effects, simple administration, and competitive cost, is virtually the only drug of choice for treatment of human schistosomiasis. Treatment of schistosomiasis has shown great advances with the introduction of the drug into the therapeutic arsenal in areas that are endemic for the parasite. However, the drug presents various efficacies against different developmental stages of schistosomes, appearing an oddity intermitted mode. The present review article reviews the effects and mechanism of action of praziquantel against schistosomes briefly and suggests the research on this oddity phenomenon.
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