Gene expression changes in Schistosoma mansoni sporocysts induced by Biomphalaria glabrata embryonic cells

Abstract

Biomphalaria glabrataembryonic (Bge) cells have been shown to provide favourable environmental conditions for the development of Schistosoma mansoni sporocysts. We investigated the effect of Bge excretory-secretory products on metabolic activity and gene transcription in S. mansoni mother sporocysts. Using the differential-display technique, we identified several sporocyst transcripts regulated by exposure to Bge soluble components. Research in databases indicated that six of the eight differential products analysed were homologous to sequences already present in databases. Two transcripts appeared of interest for schistosome development since they could be associated with cell division and protein synthesis in developing sporocysts. Their up-regulation following contact with cell products was confirmed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The first fragment coded for a part of the chaperonin containing T-complex protein gamma subunit-like protein of S. mansoni (SmTCP 1-C). The second one represented a new S. mansoni expressed sequence tag encoding a protein homologous to various glutaminyl-tRNA synthetases (GlnRS). The full-length sequence of SmGlnRS was cloned from adult schistosomes and its primary sequence was compared to other GlnRS. The overexpression of SmTCP-1 and SmGlnRS could be correlated with the metabolic changes observed in Bge-exposed sporocysts.

Conservation of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Function in the Human Parasitic Helminth Schistosoma mansoni

“…In vitrotransformed from miracidia, sporocysts are devoid of contamination by host components and constitute the most suitable stage for analysis of metabolic activities, such as protein and DNA synthesis. The procedures described have been already used with success to show that mollusc host molecules could stimulate proliferative activity in these infective schistosome larvae (31). Results presented in this work demonstrate that human EGF could increase protein and DNA synthesis as well as protein phosphorylation in primary sporocysts.…”

Molluscan cells in culture: primary cell cultures and cell lines

“…In reciprocal experiments, molecules produced by Bge cells in culture had a profound influence on gene expression in culture-reared S. mansoni sporocysts. For example 4 to 6-day old sporocysts exposed in vitro to Bge cell-conditioned media displayed numerous changes in gene expression for chaperonins/stress proteins, glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase, thioredoxin reductase, elongation factor 1-alpha, multiple ribosomal proteins and proteins with unknown function (Coppin et al 2003; Vermeire et al 2004; Taft et al 2009). Recent demonstration of non-random spatial repositioning of genes (actin and ferritin) in Bge cells co-cultured with in vitro transforming S. mansoni miracidia (Knight et al 2011) suggests novel pathways by which parasites may regulate gene expression in these cells.…”

Non-canonical Eukaryotic Glutaminyl- and Glutamyl-tRNA Synthetases Form Mitochondrial Aminoacyl-tRNA in Trypanosoma brucei

“…Instead, T. brucei GlnRS and GluRS possess short (44 and 36 amino acids, respectively) N-terminal regions predicted to be mitochondrial targeting sequences. Preliminary sequence data (ORF LmjF15.1440) show that Leishmania major also encodes a GlnRS with a similarly short N-terminal extension as does the metazoan parasite Schistosoma mansoni (28). The lack of the N-terminal domains suggests that the GlnRS and/or GluRS in these organisms do not form a higher order complex.…”