Project description:microRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNAs, are key regulators of gene expression at post-transcriptional level and play essential roles in fundamental biological processes such as development and metabolism. Here, we perform a comprehensive analysis of miRNAs in the zoonotic parasite E. canadensis G7, one of the causative agents of the neglected disease cystic echinococcosis. Small RNA libraries from protoscoleces and cyst walls of E. canadensis G7 and protoscoleces of E. granulosus sensu stricto G1 were sequenced using Illumina technology. As a result, we found transcriptional evidence of 37 miRNAs thus expanding the miRNA repertoire of E. canadensis G7. Differential expression analysis showed significant regulated miRNAs between life cycle stages of E. canadensis G7. We confirmed the remarkable loss of conserved miRNA families in E. canadensis, reflecting their low morphological complexity and high adaptation to parasitism. This study will provide valuable information for better understanding the complex biology of this parasite and could help to find new potential targets for therapy and/or diagnosis. Small RNA libraries from protoscoleces and cyst walls of E. canadensis G7 and protoscoleces of E. granulosus sensu stricto G1 were sequenced using Illumina technology. For each sample type, two libraries were constructed from two independent samples in order to have biological replicates.
Project description:Echinococcosis is a disease resulting from infection by flatworms of the Echinococcus genus. The vast majority of cystic echinococcosis cases in Southern Brazil are caused by Echinococcus granulosus and Echinococcus ortleppi. Here, we surveyed the protein contents of the hydatid fluid compartment of E. granulosus and E. ortleppi pulmonary bovine cysts, in an attempt to compare their molecular arsenal in this host-parasite interface. We detected some molecular players equally in E. granulosus and E. ortleppi, such as proteolytic enzymes and development signaling molecules, while some activities were more evident in one species, such as apoptosis in E. ortleppi, and cysteine protease activity in E. granulosus.
Project description:The cestodes Echinococcus granulosus and Echinococcus multilocularis, as the pathogens of cystic echinococcosis and alveolar echinococcosis respectively, can cause significant health problems to the host and considerable socio-economic losses as a consequence. Based on the genomic data regarding these two species available in public database recently, we carried out high-throughput mRNA and small RNA transcriptomic sequencing of them and generate enormous transcriptomic datasets. A total of 34,717,856 reads (79.79%) mapped to E. granulosus genome, and 38,882,179 reads (87.61%) mapped to E. multiloculari genome. A total of 24,550 (7,925 known and 16,625 novel transcripts) and 23,771 transcripts (8,432 known and 15,339 novel transcripts) were assembled for E. granulosus and E. multilocularis respectively, and the assembly yielded 11,330 genes (6,815 known and 4,515 novel genes) for E. granulosus and 10,101 genes (7,051 known and 3,050 novel genes) for E. multilocularis, compared with the reference genome data. Bioinformatic analysis identified 6,826 AS events from 3,774 E. granulosus genes (33.31%) and 6,644 AS events in 3,611 E. multilocularis genes (35.75%). A total of 76,674 distinct microRNAs of E. granulosus and 115,742 of E. multilocularis were also obtained from small RNA transcriptome sequencing reads. Of these, there were 20 microRNAs of E. granulosus and 22 microRNAs of E. multilocularis that belonged to 19 and 21 microRNA families common to other metazoan lineages separately. 76 and 90 novel microRNAs so far unique to E. granulosus and E. multilocularis were also identified respectively. This study represents an extensive mRNA and small RNA transcriptome dataset obtained from the deep sequencing of these two cestode species. The findings will facilitate a more fundamental understanding of cestode biology, evolution, the host-parasite interplay, and provide new insights into the pathophysiology of echinococcosis, contributing to the development of improved interventions for disease control.
Project description:The similarity of Lyme borreliosis to other diseases and the complex pathogenesis cause diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties. Changes at the cellular and molecular level after Borrelia sp. infection remain still poorly understood. Therefore, the present study focused on the gene expression in human dermal fibroblasts in differentiation of infection with Borrelia garinii, Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto spirochetes. For microarray analysis 10 samples were used: 3 control samples - K, 2 samples of NHDF cells infected with Borrelia garinii - G, 2 samples of NHDF cells infected with Borrelia afzelii - A and 3 samples of NHDF cells infected with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto - SS.
Project description:microRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNAs, are key regulators of gene expression at post-transcriptional level and play essential roles in fundamental biological processes such as development and metabolism. Here, we perform a comprehensive analysis of miRNAs in the zoonotic parasite E. canadensis G7, one of the causative agents of the neglected disease cystic echinococcosis. Small RNA libraries from protoscoleces and cyst walls of E. canadensis G7 and protoscoleces of E. granulosus sensu stricto G1 were sequenced using Illumina technology. As a result, we found transcriptional evidence of 37 miRNAs thus expanding the miRNA repertoire of E. canadensis G7. Differential expression analysis showed significant regulated miRNAs between life cycle stages of E. canadensis G7. We confirmed the remarkable loss of conserved miRNA families in E. canadensis, reflecting their low morphological complexity and high adaptation to parasitism. This study will provide valuable information for better understanding the complex biology of this parasite and could help to find new potential targets for therapy and/or diagnosis.
Project description:MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important post-transcriptional regulators which control growth and development in eukaryotic animals. The cestode Echinococcus granulosus has a complex life-cycle involving different development stages but the mechanisms underpinning this development, including the involvement of miRNAs, remain unknown. Using Illumina deep-sequencing technology, we sequenced at the genome-wide level three small RNA populations from the adult, protoscolex and cyst membrane of E. granulosus. A total of 94 miRNA candidates (coding 100 mature miRNAs and 30 miRNA*s) were predicted by a computational pipeline, of which 25 mature miRNAs and 2 miRNA*s were identified experimentally. Through comparison of expression profiles, we found 48 mature miRNAs and 17 miRNA*s expressed in different patterns in the three life stages examined and 31 of them were validated by real-time PCR. Most of the differentially expressed miRNAs exhibited obvious up-regulated expressions in the adult stage and down-regulation in the hydatid cyst. A total of 3,622 genes were predicted to be targets of 126 mature miRNAs and 50 miRNA*s. Further analysis of the differentially expressed miRNAs and their potential targets indicated that they may be involved in bi-directional development, nutrient metabolism and nervous system development in E. granulosus. This study has, for the first time, provided a comprehensive description of the different expression patterns of miRNAs in the three distinct life cycle stages of E. granulosus. Understanding the regulatory processes involving miRNAs in E. granulosus may help in the exploration of the mechanism of interaction between this parasitic worm and its definitive and intermediate hosts and provide new information to develop new intervention strategies for control of cystic echinococcosis. Examination of small RNA populations in 3 different life stages of Echinococcus granulosus
Project description:Alveolar (AE) and cystic (CE) echinococcosis are two parasitic diseases caused by the tapeworms Echinococcus multilocularis and E. granulosus sensu lato (s. l.), respectively. Currently, AE and CE are mainly diagnosed by means of imaging techniques, supported by serology and clinical and epidemiological data. However, no viability markers that indicate parasite state during infection are available. Extracellular small RNAs (sRNAs) are short non-coding RNAs that can be secreted by cells through association with extracellular vesicles, proteins, or lipoproteins. Circulating sRNAs can show altered expression in pathological states; hence, they are intensively studied as biomarkers of several diseases. Here, we profiled the sRNA transcriptomes in the context of AE and CE to identify novel biomarkers to aid in medical decisions. For this, endogenous and parasitic sRNAs were analysed by sRNA sequencing in sera from disease negative, positive, and treated patients and patients harbouring a non-parasitic lesion. Consequently, 20 differentially expressed sRNAs associated with AE, CE and/or non-parasitic liver lesion were identified. Our results represent an in-depth characterisation of the effect E. multilocularis and E. granulosus s.l. exert on the extracellular sRNA landscape in human infections and provide a set of novel candidate biomarkers for both AE and CE detection.
Project description:Project to investigate gene and small RNA expression of tapeworms (including Echinococcus multilocularis, E. granulosus, Hymenolepis microstoma).This data is part of a pre-publication release. For information on the proper use of pre-publication data shared by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (including details of any publication moratoria), please see http://www.sanger.ac.uk/datasharing/