Schistosoma mansoni: expression of Fes-like tyrosine kinase SmFes in the tegument and terebratorium suggests its involvement in host penetration.
Protein Tyrosine Kinases (PTKs) are important molecules in intra- and inter-cellular communication, playing a major role in signal transduction processes. We have previously identified and characterized the molecular structure of a new PTK in Schistosoma mansoni, SmFes. SmFes exhibits the characteristic features of Fes/Fps protein tyrosine kinase subfamily of which it is the first member described in helminths. Herein, we show that genes orthologous to SmFes are also present in other Schistosoma species and the transcript is detected in Schistosoma japonicum. The SmFes protein was detected at all the main life-cycle stages and was most abundant in cercariae and newly-transformed schistosomula. However, no protein was detected in schistosomula maintained in vitro for 7 days. By immunolocalization assays we showed that SmFes is particularly concentrated at the terebratorium of miracidia and tegument of cercaria and schistosomula skin-stage. These findings suggest that SmFes may play a role in signal transduction pathways involved in larval transformation after penetration into intermediate and definitive hosts.
Bahia
Diana
D
Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou (CPqRR), FIOCRUZ, Av Augusto de Lima 1715, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. dianabahia@hotmail.com
Mortara
Renato A
RA
Kusel
John R
JR
Andrade
Luiza F
LF
Ludolf
Fernanda
F
Kuser
Paula R
PR
Avelar
Lívia
L
Trolet
Jacques
J
Dissous
Colette
C
Pierce
Raymond J
RJ
Oliveira
Guilherme
G
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001700:Biomphalaria; D015153:Blotting, Western; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008961:Models, Structural; D051578:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fes / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
D051578:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fes