Li, Ben-Wen and Wang, Zhengyuan and Rush, Amy C. and Mitreva, Makedonka and Weil, Gary J. (2012) Transcription profiling reveals stage- and function-dependent expression patterns in the filarial nematode Brugia malayi. BMC Genomics, 184 (13). pp. 1-15.
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Abstract
Background: Brugia malayi is a nematode parasite that causes lymphatic filariasis, a disfiguring and disabiling
tropical disease. Although a first draft genome sequence was released in 2007, very little is understood about
transcription programs that govern developmental changes required for the parasite’s development and survival in
its mammalian and insect hosts.
Results: We used a microarray with probes that represent some 85% of predicted genes to generate gene
expression profiles for seven parasite life cycle stages/sexes. Approximately 41% of transcripts with detectable expression signals were differentially expressed across lifecycle stages. Twenty-six percent of transcripts were exclusively expressed in a single parasite stage, and 27% were expressed in all stages studied. K-means clustering of differentially expressed transcripts revealed five major transcription patterns that were associated with parasite lifecycle stages or gender. Examination of known stage-associated transcripts validated these data sets and
suggested that newly identified stage or gender-associated transcripts may exercise biological functions in
development and reproduction. The results also indicate that genes with similar transcription patterns were often
involved in similar functions or cellular processes. For example, nuclear receptor family gene transcripts were
upregulated in gene expression pattern four (female-enriched) while protein kinase gene family transcripts were
upregulated in expression pattern five (male-enriched). We also used pair-wise comparisons to identify
transcriptional changes between life cycle stages and sexes.
Conclusions: Analysis of gene expression patterns of lifecycle in B. malayi has provided novel insights into the
biology of filarial parasites. Proteins encoded by stage-associated and/or stage-specific transcripts are likely to be critically important for key parasite functions such as establishment and maintenance of infection, development,
reproduction, and survival in the host. Some of these may be useful targets for vaccines or new drug treatments for
filariasis.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Nematode, Transcription, Lifecycle, Filariasis, Parasite, Brugia malayi |
| Subjects: | Medical and Health Sciences > Basic medicine |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Medical Science |
| Depositing User: | Mirjana Kocaleva Vitanova |
| Date Deposited: | 03 Dec 2012 11:51 |
| Last Modified: | 03 Dec 2012 11:51 |
| URI: | https://eprints.ugd.edu.mk/id/eprint/2893 |
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