title: Global expression analysis revealed novel gender-specific gene expression features in the blood fluke parasite Schistosoma japonicum.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Schistosoma japonicum is one of the remarkable Platyhelminths that are endemic in China and Southeast Asian countries. The parasite is dioecious and can reside inside the host for many years. Rapid reproduction by producing large number of eggs and count-react host anti-parasite responses are the strategies that benefit long term survival of the parasite. Praziquantel is currently the only drug that is effective against the worms. Development of novel antiparasite reagents and immune-prevention measures rely on the deciphering of parasite biology. The decoding of the genomic sequence of the parasite has made it possible to dissect the functions of genes that govern the development of the parasite. In this study, the polyadenylated transcripts from male and female S. japonicum were isolated for deep sequencing and the sequences were systematically analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  First, the number of genes actively expressed in the two sexes of S. japonicum was similar, but around 50% of genes were biased to either male or female in expression. Secondly, it was, at the first time, found that more than 50% of the coding region of the genome was transcribed from both strands. Among them, 65% of the genes had sense and their cognate antisense transcripts co-expressed, whereas 35% had inverse relationship between sense and antisense transcript abundance. Further, based on gene ontological analysis, more than 2,000 genes were functionally categorized and biological pathways that are differentially functional in male or female parasites were elucidated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Male and female schistosomal parasites differ in gene expression patterns, many metabolic and biological pathways have been identified in this study and genes differentially expressed in gender specific manner were presented. Importantly, more than 50% of the coding regions of the S. japonicum genome transcribed from both strands, antisense RNA-mediated gene regulation might play a critical role in the parasite biology.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitology, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xianyu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Piao
authors.forename: Pengfei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Shuai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Lili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Heng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jianwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Qijun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D005260:Female; D018628:Gene Dosage / Q000235:genetics; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D015723:Gene Library; D017238:Genes, Helminth / Q000235:genetics; D016678:Genome / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016366:Open Reading Frames / Q000235:genetics; D010271:Parasites / Q000235:genetics*; D011817:Rabbits; D012549:Schistosoma japonicum / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic