Differential expression of FREP genes in two strains of Biomphalaria glabrata following exposure to the digenetic trematodes Schistosoma mansoni and Echinostoma paraensei.
Fibrinogen-related proteins (FREPs) are hypothesized to function in non-self-recognition in the snail Biomphalaria glabrata. To investigate this assumption, the expression of four members of the FREP gene family was studied using quantitative PCR at 0.5-16 days following exposure of M line and BS-90 strain B. glabrata to Echinostoma paraensei and Schistosoma mansoni. Both strains react to, but fail to eliminate E. paraensei. Only the BS-90 strain is immunologically resistant to S. mansoni. Both snail strains responded to E. paraensei with significantly elevated expression of FREP 2 and 4. Following exposure to S. mansoni, resistant BS-90 snails showed an increase in expression of FREP 2 and 4 (57-fold and 4.5-fold increase, respectively), susceptible M line snails did not display a FREP response. Expression of FREP 3 and 7 was not significantly elevated in any snail/trematode combination. These expression profiles support the hypothesis that some FREPs play a role in the anti-trematode responses in B. glabrata.
Hertel
Lynn A
LA
Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA. lhertel@unm.edu
Adema
Coen M
CM
Loker
Eric S
ES
D000818:Animals; D001700:Biomphalaria / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D004451:Echinostomiasis / Q000378:metabolism; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D037102:Lectins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000378:metabolism
C431572:FREP2 protein, Biomphalaria glabrata; C431573:FREP4 protein, Biomphalaria glabrata; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D037102:Lectins; C445539:fibrinogen-related protein 3, Biomphalaria glabrata; C445540:fibrinogen-related protein 7, Biomphalaria glabrata