title: Whipworm genome and dual-species transcriptome analyses provide molecular insights into an intimate host-parasite interaction.
abstract: Whipworms are common soil-transmitted helminths that cause debilitating chronic infections in man. These nematodes are only distantly related to Caenorhabditis elegans and have evolved to occupy an unusual niche, tunneling through epithelial cells of the large intestine. We report here the whole-genome sequences of the human-infective Trichuris trichiura and the mouse laboratory model Trichuris muris. On the basis of whole-transcriptome analyses, we identify many genes that are expressed in a sex- or life stage-specific manner and characterize the transcriptional landscape of a morphological region with unique biological adaptations, namely, bacillary band and stichosome, found only in whipworms and related parasites. Using RNA sequencing data from whipworm-infected mice, we describe the regulated T helper 1 (TH1)-like immune response of the chronically infected cecum in unprecedented detail. In silico screening identified numerous new potential drug targets against trichuriasis. Together, these genomes and associated functional data elucidate key aspects of the molecular host-parasite interactions that define chronic whipworm infection.
authors.affiliation: Parasite Genomics, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK.
authors.forename: Bernardo J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Foth
authors.affiliation: Parasite Genomics, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK.|Division of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan.
authors.forename: Isheng J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Parasite Genomics, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK.
authors.forename: Adam J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK.
authors.forename: Allison J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Bancroft
authors.affiliation: Parasite Genomics, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nichol
authors.affiliation: Parasite Genomics, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tracey
authors.affiliation: Parasite Genomics, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Holroyd
authors.affiliation: Parasite Genomics, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK.
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cotton
authors.affiliation: Parasite Genomics, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK.
authors.forename: Eleanor J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Stanley
authors.affiliation: Parasite Genomics, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zarowiecki
authors.affiliation: Statistical Genetics, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK.
authors.forename: Jimmy Z
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Parasite Genomics, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Huckvale
authors.affiliation: Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK.|Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Escuela de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador.
authors.forename: Philip J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK.
authors.forename: Richard K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Grencis
authors.affiliation: Parasite Genomics, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berriman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D049751:Genome, Helminth; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010802:Phylogeny; D013045:Species Specificity; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D014257:Trichuriasis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D014258:Trichuris / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology