title: Variation in expression of Biomphalaria glabrata SOD1: a potential controlling factor in susceptibility/resistance to Schistosoma mansoni.
abstract: The snail Biomphalaria glabrata kills the blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni by a mechanism involving production of hydrogen peroxide, the enzymatic product of cytosolic Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1). This enzyme exhibits higher activity in blood cells (hemocytes) from a predominantly resistant strain of B. glabrata than in hemocytes from a susceptible strain. Additionally, B. glabrata SOD1 polymorphisms have been associated with susceptibility/resistance to the parasite. To address the hypothesis that SOD1 transcription levels differ in accordance with variation at the SOD1 locus, quantitative PCR was performed using hemocyte-derived cDNA prepared from SOD1-genotyped snails. Here we report that individuals possessing the allele previously associated with resistance to S. mansoni express significantly higher levels of hemocyte SOD1 transcripts than individuals lacking this allele. A causal relationship between SOD1 expression and susceptibility/resistance to S. mansoni is supported by the correlation of transcript quantity with data (from a previous study) on the probability of infection.
authors.affiliation: Oregon State University, Department of Zoology, Corvallis, OR 97331-2914, USA. benderr@science.oregonstate.edu
authors.forename: Randall C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Bender
authors.forename: Cheri P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Goodall
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Blouin
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Bayne
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D001700:Biomphalaria / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000502:physiology*; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1