Compatibility in the Biomphalaria glabrata/Echinostoma caproni model: potential involvement of adhesion genes.
Because susceptibility or resistance of Biomphalaria glabrata to the trematode Echinostoma caproni correlates with differential hemocytic adhesive properties, we compared the expression of genes involved in adhesion processes between hemocytes from susceptible and resistant snails. Quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR analysis revealed four genes whose transcripts were differentially represented between hemocytes from resistant and susceptible snails. These genes encode two dermatopontin-like, one matrilin-like and one cadherin-like proteins. Expression analyses performed following parasite exposure suggested that dermatopontins may be involved in the compatibility differences between these strains. We also investigated expression levels on whole snails of different genes potentially involved in extracellular matrix structure or coagulation. Our results support the hypothesis that susceptible snails possess a hemolymph coagulation-like system that is more potent than that of resistant snails. This system may prevent hemocyte migration towards the parasite larvae and therefore facilitate parasite settlement in susceptible snails.
Bouchut
A
A
Parasitologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, UMR 5555, CNRS Université de Perpignan, 52 Ave Paul Alduy, Perpignan Cedex 66860, France.
Roger
E
E
Coustau
C
C
Gourbal
B
B
Mitta
G
G
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001700:Biomphalaria / Q000235:genetics* / Q000469:parasitology*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004449:Echinostoma / Q000502:physiology*; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015723:Gene Library; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000502:physiology; D006458:Hemolymph; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D007814:Larva; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016415:Sequence Alignment
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins