Project description:In the complex lifecycle of schistosomes, four developmental stages are closely associated with their definitive hosts: cercaria (infective stage), schistosomula and adult worm (parasitic stages), egg (pathogenic- and pathophoresis-stage). We have examined the gene expression profiles of Schistosoma japonicum in the four developmental stages. Genes with different expression patterns were identified and the information obtained will help indentify new anti-schistosomal intervention targets in the future.
Project description:More than 40 species of mammal have been reported to be infected naturally with Schistosoma japonicum (Chinese mainland strain) in China. The reed vole, Microtus fortis, is the only known mammalian host in which the schistosomes are unable to mature and cause significant pathogenic changes. Gene expression profiling of the 10 day old schistosomula was performed. Microarray analysis was also used to identify differences in gene expression between Schistosoma japonicum schistosomula from BALB/c mice and from Microtus fortis. 10 day old schistosomula were isolated, total RNA obtained and Agilent one colour labeling used. A custom designed Agilent microarray was used to determine what differential gene expression occurs between parasites maintained in either a permissive (mouse) or non-permissive (vole) hosts.
Project description:Analysis of differentially expressed gene of different parasite stage helps to determine which genes are likely to be the key players in transition through a developmental stage, thus help to further understand schistosome biology and host-parasite relationship, facilitate the discovery of novel gene products than could represent targets for the development of new drugs and vaccines to control schitosomiasis.Samples were analyzed at cercariae, egg and adult worm stage. Keywords = Schistosoma japonicum Keywords = different development stage Keywords = differentially expressed gene Keywords: time-course
Project description:It is well recognized that parasitic helminth infections, which afflict more than one billion people globally, correlate with a decreased prevalence of metabolic diseases, including obesity and type 2 diabetes, but the molecular mechanisms involved remain to be determined. Using microarrays, we quantified the temporal gene expression profiles in the liver of Schistosoma japonicum-infected C57BL/6 mice at 9 weeks post infection with that from uninfected mice as controls. More than 150 miRNAs were differentially expressed in the liver during S. japonicum infection, and miRNA-mRNA network would provide new evidence for the negtive correlation between S. japonicum infection and metabolism.
Project description:Chinese and Philippine strains of the blood fluke Schistosoma japonicum present clear and distinctive phenotypes in areas of fecundity, pathology, drug sensitivity and immunology. Despite these differences large scale sequencing efforts have focused solely on Chinese mainland strain of the parasite. We have undertaken a comparative genomic hybridisation (CGH) approach to highlight some of the structural differences in the genome of two of the major geographical isolates of S. japonicum. We identified seven distinct regions of the S. japonicum genome that present differential CGH between Chinese and Philippine strains of the blood fluke Schistosoma japonicum, representing either deletion or duplication regions in the Philippine strain. Within these regions, genes that may be related to phenotypical differences are identified and discussed.
