title: Echinococcus granulosus antigen B gene family: further studies of strain polymorphism at the genomic and transcriptional levels.
abstract: Echinococcus granulosus AgB gene family is constituted by five gene loci. In a previous study, we analyzed the strain variation of EgAgB2/B4 sequences. Here, we have analyzed, by SSCP and sequencing, 250 genomic clones of EgAgB1/B3/B5 gene cluster from five E. granulosus strains. Several new EgAgB genomic variants were found. EgAgB1 and EgAgB3 genomic sequences grouped E. granulosus strains by phylogenetic tools in two clusters: one formed by G1/G2 and the other by G5, G6/G7 strains, in accordance with other molecular markers. EgAgB5 genomic and cDNA sequences were only found in G1/G2 cluster. Reverse transcription-PCR analysis using subunit specific primers revealed that all the EgAgB genes were transcribed in G1 and G7 strains with the exception of EgAgB5 transcripts that were not detected in G7 strain. Interestingly, AgB2 transcripts that were probably processed by an aberrant splicing mechanism leading to a non-functional B2 protein were found in G7 strain.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas ANLIS Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 563, Buenos Aires (1281), Argentina.
authors.forename: Patricia Marcela
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Muzulin
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kamenetzky
authors.forename: Ariana Marcela
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gutierrez
authors.forename: Eduardo Alfredo
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Guarnera
authors.forename: Mara Cecilia
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Rosenzvit
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002162:Camelus; D002417:Cattle; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry; D018509:DNA, Helminth / Q000737:chemistry; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000469:parasitology*; D048209:Echinococcus granulosus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D010802:Phylogeny; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012756:Sheep; D013552:Swine