title: Molecular characterization of a Litomosoides sigmodontis protein involved in the development of the microfilarial sheath during embryogenesis.
abstract: A cDNA clone Ls110 was isolated from a female Litomosoides sigmodontis expression library using an antiserum raised against the microfilarial sheath. The complete cDNA encodes a protein (Ls110) of 382 amino acids. Southern and PCR analyses revealed the presence of Ls110 in L. sigmodontis as a single copy gene. The transcription of the Ls110 gene was limited to female worms. In these worms the transcription was confined to the epithelial cells of the uterus. The protein Ls110 was detected not only in the epithelial layer of the uterus but also secreted in the lumen of the uterus. All the intra-uterine embryonic stages showed the protein bound to their egg shell/sheath, except the early multicellular embryonic stages and fully developed microfilariae. The transient occurrence of Ls110 on these structures of intra-uterine stages besides the presence of a cysteine-rich N-terminal region (SXC-like domain) suggest that the protein may play a role in the formation of the microfilarial sheath during embryogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Parasitologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, Germany. tarig.h.dafaalla@vetmed.uni-giessen.de
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Dafa'alla
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taubert
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hobom
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zahner
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000032:analysis; D018509:DNA, Helminth / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005370:Filarioidea / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D008842:Microfilariae / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018510:RNA, Helminth / Q000032:analysis; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D018509:DNA, Helminth; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D018510:RNA, Helminth