title: The Anisakis Transcriptome Provides a Resource for Fundamental and Applied Studies on Allergy-Causing Parasites.
abstract: Food-borne nematodes of the genus Anisakis are responsible for a wide range of illnesses (= anisakiasis), from self-limiting gastrointestinal forms to severe systemic allergic reactions, which are often misdiagnosed and under-reported. In order to enhance and refine current diagnostic tools for anisakiasis, knowledge of the whole spectrum of parasite molecules transcribed and expressed by this parasite, including those acting as potential allergens, is necessary.
  
  
  
  In this study, we employ high-throughput (Illumina) sequencing and bioinformatics to characterise the transcriptomes of two Anisakis species, A. simplex and A. pegreffii, and utilize this resource to compile lists of potential allergens from these parasites. A total of ~65,000,000 reads were generated from cDNA libraries for each species, and assembled into ~34,000 transcripts (= Unigenes); ~18,000 peptides were predicted from each cDNA library and classified based on homology searches, protein motifs and gene ontology and biological pathway mapping. Using comparative analyses with sequence data available in public databases, 36 (A. simplex) and 29 (A. pegreffii) putative allergens were identified, including sequences encoding 'novel' Anisakis allergenic proteins (i.e. cyclophilins and ABA-1 domain containing proteins).
  
  
  
  This study represents a first step towards providing the research community with a curated dataset to use as a molecular resource for future investigations of the biology of Anisakis, including molecules putatively acting as allergens, using functional genomics, proteomics and immunological tools. Ultimately, an improved knowledge of the biological functions of these molecules in the parasite, as well as of their immunogenic properties, will assist the development of comprehensive, reliable and robust diagnostic tools.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Biodiscovery & Molecular Development of Therapeutics, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.|Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.
authors.forename: Fiona J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Baird
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Xiaopei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: School of Applied Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, Australia.
authors.forename: Ibukun
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Aibinu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Pathogen Biology, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Nolan
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiromu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Otranto
authors.affiliation: Centre for Biodiscovery & Molecular Development of Therapeutics, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.|Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.
authors.forename: Andreas L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Lopata
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cantacessi
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D017129:Anisakiasis / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D017163:Anisakis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D010473:Perciformes / Q000469:parasitology; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D015801:Helminth Proteins