Molecular evidence for distinct modes of nutrient acquisition between visceral and neurotropic schistosomes of birds

R Leontovyč; ND Young; PK Korhonen; RS Hall; J Bulantová; V Jeřábková; M Kašný; RB Gasser; P Horák

Journal article

Molecular evidence for distinct modes of nutrient acquisition between visceral and neurotropic schistosomes of birds

R Leontovyč, ND Young, PK Korhonen, RS Hall, J Bulantová, V Jeřábková, M Kašný, RB Gasser, P Horák

Scientific Reports | NATURE PORTFOLIO | Published : 2019

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-37669-2

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Abstract

Trichobilharzia species are parasitic flatworms (called schistosomes or flukes) that cause important diseases in birds and humans, but very little is known about their molecular biology. Here, using a transcriptomics-bioinformatics-based approach, we explored molecular aspects pertaining to the nutritional requirements of Trichobilharzia szidati (‘visceral fluke’) and T. regenti (‘neurotropic fluke’) in their avian host. We studied the larvae of each species before they enter (cercariae) and as they migrate (schistosomules) through distinct tissues in their avian (duck) host. Cercariae of both species were enriched for pathways or molecules associated predominantly with carbohydrate metaboli..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Neil Young Author

Pasi Korhonen Author

Robin B. Gasser Author

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Awarded by Univerzita Karlova v Praze

Funding Acknowledgements

In the Czech Republic, this study was supported through grants from the Czech Science Foundation (18-11140 S), the European Regional Development Fund and Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic (CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_019/0000759) and Charles University in Prague (PROGRES_Q43, UNCE/SCI/012-204072/2018 and SVV260432/2018) (P.H et al.), and computational resources were provided via CESNET LM2015042 and the CERIT Scientific Cloud LM2015085 (Large Research, Development and Innovation Infrastructure). In Australia, funding was from the Australian Research Council and the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia (R.B.G., N.D.Y. et al.), and computational resources were provided via the Melbourne Bioinformatics Platform. P.K.K. holds an Early Career Research Fellowship (ECRF) and N.D.Y. a Career Development Research Fellowship (CDF1) from NHMRC. The funders had no role in study design, data collection or analyses, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript.