Genome of the human hookworm Necator americanus.
The hookworm Necator americanus is the predominant soil-transmitted human parasite. Adult worms feed on blood in the small intestine, causing iron-deficiency anemia, malnutrition, growth and development stunting in children, and severe morbidity and mortality during pregnancy in women. We report sequencing and assembly of the N. americanus genome (244 Mb, 19,151 genes). Characterization of this first hookworm genome sequence identified genes orchestrating the hookworm's invasion of the human host, genes involved in blood feeding and development, and genes encoding proteins that represent new potential drug targets against hookworms. N. americanus has undergone a considerable and unique expansion of immunomodulator proteins, some of which we highlight as potential treatments against inflammatory diseases. We also used a protein microarray to demonstrate a postgenomic application of the hookworm genome sequence. This genome provides an invaluable resource to boost ongoing efforts toward fundamental and applied postgenomic research, including the development of new methods to control hookworm and human immunological diseases.
The Genome Institute at Washington University, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.
Yat T
YT
Tang
The Genome Institute at Washington University, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.
Xin
X
Gao
The Genome Institute at Washington University, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.
Bruce A
BA
Rosa
The Genome Institute at Washington University, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.
Sahar
S
Abubucker
The Genome Institute at Washington University, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.
Kymberlie
K
Hallsworth-Pepin
The Genome Institute at Washington University, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.
John
J
Martin
The Genome Institute at Washington University, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.
Rahul
R
Tyagi
The Genome Institute at Washington University, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.
Esley
E
Heizer
The Genome Institute at Washington University, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.
Xu
X
Zhang
The Genome Institute at Washington University, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.
Veena
V
Bhonagiri-Palsikar
The Genome Institute at Washington University, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.
Patrick
P
Minx
The Genome Institute at Washington University, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.|Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.
Wesley C
WC
Warren
The Genome Institute at Washington University, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.
Qi
Q
Wang
Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.|Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Houston, Texas, USA.
Bin
B
Zhan
Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.|Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Houston, Texas, USA.
Peter J
PJ
Hotez
Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA.|Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, USA.
Paul W
PW
Sternberg
Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Queensland Tropical Health Alliance, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia.
Annette
A
Dougall
Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Queensland Tropical Health Alliance, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia.
Soraya Torres
ST
Gaze
Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Jason
J
Mulvenna
Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Queensland Tropical Health Alliance, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia.
Javier
J
Sotillo
Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Shoba
S
Ranganathan
Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Elida M
EM
Rabelo
The Genome Institute at Washington University, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.|Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.
Richard W
RW
Wilson
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA.
Philip L
PL
Felgner
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, The George Washington University, Washington DC, USA.
Jeffrey
J
Bethony
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, The George Washington University, Washington DC, USA.
John M
JM
Hawdon
Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
Robin B
RB
Gasser
Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Queensland Tropical Health Alliance, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia.
Alex
A
Loukas
The Genome Institute at Washington University, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.|Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.|Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.
Makedonka
M
Mitreva
D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D049751:Genome, Helminth; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017221:Necator americanus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology; D009332:Necatoriasis / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D013045:Species Specificity