@article {49652, title = {The genome and its implications.}, journal = {Adv Parasitol}, volume = {75}, year = {2011}, month = {2011}, pages = {209-30}, abstract = {

Trypanosoma cruzi has a heterogeneous population composed of a pool of strains that circulate in the domestic and sylvatic cycles. Genome sequencing of the clone CL Brener revealed a highly repetitive genome of about 110Mb containing an estimated 22,570 genes. Because of its hybrid nature, sequences representing the two haplotypes have been generated. In addition, a repeat content close to 50\% made the assembly of the estimated 41 pairs of chromosomes quite challenging. Similar to other trypanosomatids, the organization of T. cruzi chromosomes was found to be very peculiar, with protein-coding genes organized in long polycistronic transcription units encoding 20 or more proteins in one strand separated by strand switch regions. Another remarkable feature of the T. cruzi genome is the massive expansion of surface protein gene families. Because of the high genetic diversity of the T. cruzi population, sequencing of additional strains and comparative genomic and transcriptome analyses are in progress. Five years after its publication, the genome data have proven to be an essential tool for the study of T. cruzi and increasing efforts to translate this knowledge into the development of new modes of intervention to control Chagas disease are underway.

}, keywords = {Animals, Antigens, Protozoan, Chagas Disease, Chromosomes, Comparative Genomic Hybridization, DNA, Protozoan, Gene Expression Regulation, Genetic Variation, Genome, Protozoan, Host-Parasite Interactions, HUMANS, Species Specificity, Synteny, Transcription, Genetic, Transfection, Trypanosoma cruzi}, issn = {0065-308X}, doi = {10.1016/B978-0-12-385863-4.00010-1}, author = {Teixeira, Santuza M and El-Sayed, Najib M and Ara{\'u}jo, Patr{\'\i}cia R} } @article {49646, title = {The genome of the blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni.}, journal = {Nature}, volume = {460}, year = {2009}, month = {2009 Jul 16}, pages = {352-8}, abstract = {

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.

}, keywords = {Animals, Biological Evolution, Exons, Genes, Helminth, Genome, Helminth, Host-Parasite Interactions, Introns, Molecular Sequence Data, Physical Chromosome Mapping, Schistosoma mansoni, Schistosomiasis mansoni}, issn = {1476-4687}, doi = {10.1038/nature08160}, author = {Berriman, Matthew and Haas, Brian J and LoVerde, Philip T and Wilson, R Alan and Dillon, Gary P and Cerqueira, Gustavo C and Mashiyama, Susan T and Al-Lazikani, Bissan and Andrade, Luiza F and Ashton, Peter D and Aslett, Martin A and Bartholomeu, Daniella C and Blandin, Ga{\"e}lle and Caffrey, Conor R and Coghlan, Avril and Coulson, Richard and Day, Tim A and Delcher, Art and DeMarco, Ricardo and Djikeng, Appolinaire and Eyre, Tina and Gamble, John A and Ghedin, Elodie and Gu, Yong and Hertz-Fowler, Christiane and Hirai, Hirohisha and Hirai, Yuriko and Houston, Robin and Ivens, Alasdair and Johnston, David A and Lacerda, Daniela and Macedo, Camila D and McVeigh, Paul and Ning, Zemin and Oliveira, Guilherme and Overington, John P and Parkhill, Julian and Pertea, Mihaela and Pierce, Raymond J and Protasio, Anna V and Quail, Michael A and Rajandream, Marie-Ad{\`e}le and Rogers, Jane and Sajid, Mohammed and Salzberg, Steven L and Stanke, Mario and Tivey, Adrian R and White, Owen and Williams, David L and Wortman, Jennifer and Wu, Wenjie and Zamanian, Mostafa and Zerlotini, Adhemar and Fraser-Liggett, Claire M and Barrell, Barclay G and El-Sayed, Najib M} } @article {49643, title = {Schistosoma mansoni: Microarray analysis of gene expression induced by host sex.}, journal = {Exp Parasitol}, volume = {120}, year = {2008}, month = {2008 Dec}, pages = {357-63}, abstract = {

Schistosoma mansoni is a digenetic trematode and a human parasite responsible for high social and economic impact. Although some authors have studied the effect of host hormones on parasites, not much is known about the effects of host sex on gene expression in Schistosomes. In order to study gene transcripts associated with the host sex, we compared the gene expression profiles of both male and female unisexual adult S. mansoni parasites raised on either male or female hosts, using DNA microarrays. Our results show that host sex caused differential expression of at least 11 genes in female parasites and of 134 in male parasites. Of the differentially expressed genes in female worms, 10 were preferentially expressed in female worms from male mice, while of the 134 differentially expressed genes in male parasites, 79 (59\%) were preferentially expressed in worms from female mice. Further investigation of the role of each of those genes will help understand better their importance in the pathogenesis of Schistosomiasis.

}, keywords = {Animals, Biomphalaria, Female, Gene expression, Host-Parasite Interactions, Male, Mice, Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction, RNA, Helminth, Schistosoma mansoni, Schistosomiasis mansoni, Sex Factors}, issn = {1090-2449}, doi = {10.1016/j.exppara.2008.09.005}, author = {Waisberg, M and Lobo, F P and Cerqueira, G C and Passos, L K J and Carvalho, O S and El-Sayed, N M and Franco, G R} }