TY - JOUR T1 - The genome of the blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni. JF - Nature Y1 - 2009 A1 - Berriman, Matthew A1 - Haas, Brian J A1 - LoVerde, Philip T A1 - Wilson, R Alan A1 - Dillon, Gary P A1 - Cerqueira, Gustavo C A1 - Mashiyama, Susan T A1 - Al-Lazikani, Bissan A1 - Andrade, Luiza F A1 - Ashton, Peter D A1 - Aslett, Martin A A1 - Bartholomeu, Daniella C A1 - Blandin, Gaëlle A1 - Caffrey, Conor R A1 - Coghlan, Avril A1 - Coulson, Richard A1 - Day, Tim A A1 - Delcher, Art A1 - DeMarco, Ricardo A1 - Djikeng, Appolinaire A1 - Eyre, Tina A1 - Gamble, John A A1 - Ghedin, Elodie A1 - Gu, Yong A1 - Hertz-Fowler, Christiane A1 - Hirai, Hirohisha A1 - Hirai, Yuriko A1 - Houston, Robin A1 - Ivens, Alasdair A1 - Johnston, David A A1 - Lacerda, Daniela A1 - Macedo, Camila D A1 - McVeigh, Paul A1 - Ning, Zemin A1 - Oliveira, Guilherme A1 - Overington, John P A1 - Parkhill, Julian A1 - Pertea, Mihaela A1 - Pierce, Raymond J A1 - Protasio, Anna V A1 - Quail, Michael A A1 - Rajandream, Marie-Adèle A1 - Rogers, Jane A1 - Sajid, Mohammed A1 - Salzberg, Steven L A1 - Stanke, Mario A1 - Tivey, Adrian R A1 - White, Owen A1 - Williams, David L A1 - Wortman, Jennifer A1 - Wu, Wenjie A1 - Zamanian, Mostafa A1 - Zerlotini, Adhemar A1 - Fraser-Liggett, Claire M A1 - Barrell, Barclay G A1 - El-Sayed, Najib M KW - Animals KW - Biological Evolution KW - Exons KW - Genes, Helminth KW - Genome, Helminth KW - Host-Parasite Interactions KW - Introns KW - Molecular Sequence Data KW - Physical Chromosome Mapping KW - Schistosoma mansoni KW - Schistosomiasis mansoni AB -

Schistosoma mansoni is responsible for the neglected tropical disease schistosomiasis that affects 210 million people in 76 countries. Here we present analysis of the 363 megabase nuclear genome of the blood fluke. It encodes at least 11,809 genes, with an unusual intron size distribution, and new families of micro-exon genes that undergo frequent alternative splicing. As the first sequenced flatworm, and a representative of the Lophotrochozoa, it offers insights into early events in the evolution of the animals, including the development of a body pattern with bilateral symmetry, and the development of tissues into organs. Our analysis has been informed by the need to find new drug targets. The deficits in lipid metabolism that make schistosomes dependent on the host are revealed, and the identification of membrane receptors, ion channels and more than 300 proteases provide new insights into the biology of the life cycle and new targets. Bioinformatics approaches have identified metabolic chokepoints, and a chemogenomic screen has pinpointed schistosome proteins for which existing drugs may be active. The information generated provides an invaluable resource for the research community to develop much needed new control tools for the treatment and eradication of this important and neglected disease.

VL - 460 CP - 7253 M3 - 10.1038/nature08160 ER -