title: A survey of schistosome protein domain types: insights into unique biological properties.
abstract: Using the PROSITE database and search tools, we conducted a comprehensive bioinformatic analysis of the predicted protein sequences of the flatworm parasites Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma japonicum and seven other animal genomes in order to identify novel schistosome-specific features. Our analyses revealed a relative paucity of proline-rich domains in schistosomes in comparison with their human host and a corresponding enrichment in schistosomes of asparagine-rich, serine-rich, and threonine-rich domains. Domain types found in both schistosome species but not in human included the two-component system sensor histidine kinase/response regulator; C83 family peptidase; DyP-type peroxidase; and densovirus NS1-type domain. Unique features of the schistosome proteome may help guide development of new drugs, while the presence of a densovirus-derived protein in S. mansoni suggests that this species may be infected by a virus of this group, which might be useful as a biological control agent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA. austin@biol.sc.edu
authors.forename: Austin L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Friedman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019295:Computational Biology / Q000379:methods*; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012549:Schistosoma japonicum / Q000235:genetics*; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000235:genetics*; D020539:Sequence Analysis, Protein / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D015801:Helminth Proteins