Differential gene expression, including Sjfs800, in Schistosoma japonicum females before, during, and after male-female pairing

Schistosomiasis is a prevalent but neglected tropical disease caused by parasitic trematodes of the genus Schistosoma, with the primary disease-causing species being S. haematobium, S. mansoni, and S. japonicum. Male-female pairing of schistosomes is necessary for sexual maturity and the production of a large number of eggs, which are primarily responsible for schistosomiasis dissemination and pathology. Here, we used microarray hybridization, bioinformatics, quantitative PCR, in situ hybridization, and gene silencing assays to identify genes that play critical roles in S. japonicum reproduction biology, particularly in vitellarium development, a process that affects male-female pairing, sexual maturation, and subsequent egg production. Microarray hybridization analyses generated a comprehensive set of genes differentially transcribed before and after male-female pairing. Although the transcript profiles of females were similar 16 and 18 days after host infection, marked gene expression changes were observed at 24 days. The 30 most abundantly transcribed genes on day 24 included those associated with vitellarium development. Among these, genes for female-specific 800 (fs800), eggshell precursor protein, and superoxide dismutase...Continue Reading