title: Schistosoma spp.: Isolation of microtubule associated proteins in the tegument and the definition of dynein light chains components.
abstract: Schistosomes are parasitic blood flukes that reside in human mesenteric veins or urinary bladder veins, depending on species of the parasite. The syncytial tegument of these parasites represents a dynamic interface that regulates nutritional and immunological interactions between the parasite and the host. It is known that the components for biogenesis and maintenance of the tegument are supplied via vesicles from the nucleated cell bodies beneath the syncytium and muscle layer. To investigate the common motor components of vesicular transport in the tegument of schistomes, we extracted Schistosoma mansoni tegumental microtubule associated proteins utilizing detergent/high-salt procedure and raised antiserum against these proteins. The antiserum was applied to screen Schistosoma haematobium lambda gt11 expression library and some of the isolated clones were sequenced. Blast search for the sequences against NCBI database identified clones that are dynein light chains and myosin genes. Further analysis of schistosome dynein genes in the databases identified three families of dynein light chains (Dlcs). The Tctex family protein sequences are significantly different from the mammalian homologs and, therefore, offer a potential vaccine/drug target against schistosomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Primate Research/National Museums of Kenya, P.O. Box 40658, Nairobi, Kenya. kegithui@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Elijah K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Githui
authors.forename: Raymond T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Damian
authors.forename: Rashid A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Aman
authors.forename: Mohamed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Joseph M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kamau
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D004398:Dyneins; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010215:Papio; D010802:Phylogeny; D011817:Rabbits; D012547:Schistosoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D007106:Immune Sera; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D004398:Dyneins