title: Characterisation of a Rho homologue of Schistosoma mansoni.
abstract: The development and survival of the helminth parasite, Schistosoma mansoni, is dependent on its ability to interpret signals from its environment. Currently, little is known about signal transduction in schistosomes. Rho is a member of a super-family of small GTP-binding proteins. Rho is involved in a number of cell signalling pathways with effects on actin cytoskeleton organisation, gene transcription, cell cycle progression, and membrane trafficking. We have cloned an S. mansoni protein (Rho1) that has 71-75% identity and approximately 85% similarity with human Rho A, B, and C proteins. We have optimised expression of recombinant S. mansoni Rho1 protein in Escherichia coli by co-expression with rare tRNAs. Western blot analysis results showed expression of Rho1 protein in adult worm stages especially female worms. In vitro prenylation of recombinant S. mansoni Rho1 determined that, similar to Rho from other organisms, Rho1 is geranynlgeranylated but not farnesylated. A search of the gene database indicates that Rho GTPases exist as a small family in S. mansoni including orthologues of Rho, Cdc42, and Rac. These data suggest that S. mansoni Rho1 plays a role in signalling in adult worms, especially females.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790-4120, USA.
authors.forename: Jon J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Vermeire
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Osman
authors.forename: Philip T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: LoVerde
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007438:Introns; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014162:Transfection; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D007106:Immune Sera; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; C051302:RHO1 protein, S cerevisiae; C511153:Rho1 protein, Drosophila; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins