Deep sequencing of small RNAs reveals the repertoire of miRNAs and piRNAs in Biomphalaria glabrata

BACKGROUND Biomphalaria glabrata snails are widely distributed in schistosomiasis endemic areas like America and Caribe, displaying high susceptibility to infection by Schistosoma mansoni. After the availability of B. glabrata genome and transcriptome data, studies focusing on genetic markers and small non-coding RNAs have become more relevant. The small RNAs have been considered important through their ability to finely regulate the gene expression in several organisms, thus controlling the functions like cell growth, metabolism, and susceptibility/resistance to infection. OBJECTIVE The present study aims on identification and characterisation of the repertoire of small non-coding RNAs in B. glabrata (Bgl-small RNAs). METHODS By using small RNA sequencing, bioinformatics tools and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), we identified, characterised, and validated the presence of small RNAs in B. glabrata. FINDINGS 89 mature miRNAs were identified and five of them were classified as Mollusk-specific. When compared to model organisms, sequences of B. glabrata miRNAs showed a high degree of conservation. In addition, several target genes were predicted for all the mature miRNAs identified. Furthermore, piRNAs were identified in the genome of B. glabrata for the first time. The B. glabrata piRNAs showed strong conservation of uridine as first nucleotide at 5' end, besides adenine at 10th position. Our results showed that B. glabrata has diverse repertoire of circulating ncRNAs, several which might be involved in mollusk susceptibility to infection, due to their potential roles in the regulation of S. mansoni development. MAIN CONCLUSIONS Further studies are necessary in order to confirm the role of the Bgl-small RNAs in the parasite/host relationship thus opening new perspectives on interference of small RNAs in the organism development and susceptibility to infection.

Total protein composition of young and adult Biomphalaria alexandrina snails with different compatibilities to Schistosoma mansoni infection / Composición total de proteína en caracoles Biomphalaria alexandrina juveniles y adultos con distintas compatibilidades a la infección por Schistosoma mansoni

Abstract:Schistosomiasis remains a disease of major global public health concern since it is a chronic and debilitating illness. The widely distributed Schistosoma mansoni that causes intestinal schistosomiasis represents a great threat. Its world-wide distribution is permitted by the broad geographic range of the susceptible species of its intermediate host, Biomphalaria, which serves as an obligatory host for the larval stage, at which humans get infected. The objectives were to identify the proteins responsible for the snails' compatibility outcome through differentiation between the total proteins among Biomphalaria alexandrina snails at different ages. The work was conducted on snails that differ in age and genetic backgrounds. Four subgroups (F1) from the progeny of self-reproduced susceptible and resistant snails (F0) were studied. Infection rates of these subgroups (young susceptible, adult susceptible, young resistant and adult resistant) were 90 %, 75 %, 40 % and 0 %, respectively. Using Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate Polyacrylamide Gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), differences in protein expression were evaluated between adult and young snails of different subgroups. Dice similarity coefficient was calculated to determine the percentage of band sharing among the experimental subgroups. The results showed that the combination of similarities between age and compatibility status of the snails, lead to the highest similarity coefficient, followed by the combination of similarities of both genetic origin and age, even though they differ in the compatibility status. On the other hand, the differences in the genetic background, age and compatibility status, lead to the least similarity index. It was also found that the genetic background in young snails plays a major role in the determination of their compatibility, while the internal defense system has the upper hand in determining the level of adult compatibility. In conclusion, the findings of the present work highlight the great impact of the snail age in concomitance with the genetics and the internal defense in the determination of B. alexandrina/S.mansoni compatibility. Future works are recommended, as further characterization of the shared protein bands among the studied subgroups is needed to clarify their role in host-parasite relationship. Rev. Biol. Trop. 64 (4): 1747-1757. Epub 2016 December 01.

Resumen:La esquistosomiasis es una enfermedad crónica y debilitante que constituye una problemática de salud pública a nivel mundial. Debido a que Schistosoma mansoni está ampliamente distribuida y a que es el causante de la esquistosomiasis intestinal representa una gran amenaza. Biomphalaria es el hospedero intermedio y obligatorio para el estado larval, presenta una amplia distribución geográfica e infecta al ser humano. El objetivo fue identificar las proteínas responsables del efecto de compatibilidad en caracoles Biomphalaria alexandrina de distintos estadios a través de la diferenciación del total de proteínas en ellos. La investigación se llevó a cabo con caracoles de diferentes edades y antecedentes genéticos. Se estudiaron cuatro subgrupos (F1) de la progenie de caracoles susceptibles y resistentes reproducidos asexualmente (F0). Las tasas de infección de estos subgrupos (juvenil susceptible, adulto susceptible, juvenil resistente, adulto resistente) fueron 90 %, 75 %, 40 % y 0 %, respectivamente. Con la electroforesis en gel de poliacrilamida en presencia de dodecilsulfato sódico (SDS-PAGE) se evaluaron las diferencias en la expresión proteica entre los caracoles juveniles y adultos de los distintos subgrupos. Se calculó el coeficiente de similitud de Dice para determinar el porcentaje de bandas compartidas entre los subgrupos experimentales. Los resultados mostraron que la combinación de similitudes entre la edad y el estado de compatibilidad de los caracoles genera el mayor coeficiente de similitud seguido por el de la combinación de similitudes tanto de la edad como del origen genético aunque varían en el estado de compatibilidad. Por otra parte, las diferencias en los antecedentes genéticos, la edad y el estado de compatibilidad generan el índice de similitud más bajo. También se encontró que el antecedente genético en caracoles juveniles es importante en la determinación de su compatibilidad, mientras que el sistema de defensa interno es el que determina el nivel de compatibilidad en adultos. En conclusión, los resultados de este trabajo resaltan la importancia de la edad del caracol en conjunto con la genética y la defensa interna para determinar la compatibilidad de B. alexandrina/S.mansoni. Se recomienda realizar futuros trabajos así como una mayor caracterización de las bandas proteicas compartidas entre los subgrupos estudiados para esclarecer su papel en la relación hospedero-parásito.

Impact of the age of Biomphalaria alexandrina snails on Schistosoma mansoni transmission: modulation of the genetic outcome and the internal defence system of the snail

Of the approximately 34 identified Biomphalariaspecies,Biomphalaria alexandrinarepresents the intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoniin Egypt. Using parasitological and SOD1 enzyme assay, this study aimed to elucidate the impact of the age of B. alexandrinasnails on their genetic variability and internal defence against S. mansoniinfection. Susceptible and resistant snails were reared individually for self-reproduction; four subgroups of their progeny were used in experiment. The young susceptible subgroup showed the highest infection rate, the shortest pre-patent period, the highest total cercarial production, the highest mortality rate and the lowest SOD1 activity. Among the young and adult susceptible subgroups, 8% and 26% were found to be resistant, indicating the inheritance of resistance alleles from parents. The adult resistant subgroup, however, contained only resistant snails and showed the highest enzyme activity. The complex interaction between snail age, genetic background and internal defence resulted in great variability in compatibility patterns, with the highest significant difference between young susceptible and adult resistant snails. The results demonstrate that resistance alleles function to a greater degree in adults, with higher SOD1 activity and provide potential implications for Biomphalariacontrol. The identification of the most susceptible snail age enables determination of the best timing for applying molluscicides. Moreover, adult resistant snails could be beneficial in biological snail control.

Análise da variabilidade imunológica e da expressão dos genes FREPs entre as espécies Biomphalaria glabrata e B. straminea com diferentes perfis de suscetibilidade ao parasito Schistosoma mansoni / Analysis of immune variability and expression of FREPS genes between the species Biomphalaria glabrata and B. straminea with different susceptibility profiles to infection to by Schistosoma mansoni

Algumas espécies do gênero Biomphalaria se apresentam como potenciais hospedeiras ao parasito Schistosoma mansoni, estando a suscetibilidade a este parasito, neste gênero, ligada ao sistema interno de defesa de cada espécie de Biomphalaria. Um dos componentes importantes no sistema imune de invertebrados é a enzima fenoloxidase, que ainda apresenta muitos aspectos desconhecidos no sistema de defesa do gênero Biomphalaria. Foi relatado também que os genes de proteínas relacionadas ao fibrinogênio (FREPs) possuem importância na resposta imune de Biomphalaria glabrata, entre esses, as subfamílias dos FREPs 3 e 4 são diferencialmente expressas em linhagens susceptíveis e resistentes frente a infecção com trematódeos. No entanto os trabalhos existentes em sua maioria estudam a espécie Biomphalaria glabrata, excluindo a espécie Biomphalaria straminea, amplamente distribuída no Brasil e principal responsável pela disseminação da esquistossomose. Tendo em vista a falta de conhecimento sobre a resposta imune destes moluscos hospedeiros, principalmente em relação à expressão de genes imune relevantes e ao tipo de resposta, o presente trabalho se propôs a estudar a variação do número de hemócitos, da produção de fenoloxidase e da expressão dos genes dos FREP 3 e FREP 4 envolvidos com a ligação a antígenos de trematódeos, nas espécies Biomphalaria glabrata, Biomphalaria straminea pós-infecção com S. mansoni, bem como em caramujos pré-expostos a antígenos de S. mansoni...

The relationship between genetic variability and the susceptibility of Biomphalaria alexandrina snails to Schistosoma mansoni infection

In the present study, Biomphalaria snails collected from five Egyptian governorates (Giza, Fayoum, Kafr El-Sheikh, Ismailia and Damietta), as well as reference control Biomphalaria alexandrina snails from the Schistosome Biological Supply Center (SBSC) (Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Egypt), were subjected to species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays to identify the collected species. All of the collected snails were found to be B. alexandrina and there was no evidence of the presence of Biomphalaria glabrata. Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR assays showed different fingerprints with varying numbers of bands for the first generation (F1) of B. alexandrina snail populations (SBSC, Giza, Fayoum, Kafr El-Sheikh, Ismailia and Damietta). The primer OPA-1 produced the highest level of polymorphism and amplified the greatest number of specific bands. The estimated similarity coefficients among the B. alexandrina populations based on the RAPD-PCR profiles ranged from 0.56 (between SBSC and Ismailia snails) to 0.72 (between Ismailia and Kafr El-Sheikh snails). Experimental infection of the F1 of progeny from the collected snails with Schistosoma mansoni (SBSC strain) showed variable susceptibility rates ranging from 15% in the Fayoum snail group to 50.3% in SBSC snails. A negative correlation was observed between the infection rates in the different snail groups and the distances separating their corresponding governorates from the parasite source. The infection rates of the snail groups and their similarity coefficients with SBSC B. alexandrina snails were positively correlated. The variations in the rates of infection of different B. alexandrina groups with S. mansoni, as well as the differences in the similarity coefficients among these snails, are dependent not only on the geographical distribution of the snails and the parasite, but also on the genetic variability of the snails. Introduction of this variability into endemic areas may reduce the ability of the parasite to infect local hosts and consequently reduce schistosomiasis epidemiology.

Hybridism between Biomphalaria cousini and Biomphalaria amazonica and its susceptibility to Schistosoma mansoni

Molecular techniques can aid in the classification of Biomphalaria species because morphological differentiation between these species is difficult. Previous studies using phylogeny, morphological and molecular taxonomy showed that some populations studied were Biomphalaria cousini instead of Biomphalaria amazonica. Three different molecular profiles were observed that enabled the separation of B. amazonica from B. cousini. The third profile showed an association between the two and suggested the possibility of hybrids between them. Therefore, the aim of this work was to investigate the hybridism between B. cousini and B. amazonica and to verify if the hybrids are susceptible to Schistosoma mansoni. Crosses using the albinism factor as a genetic marker were performed, with pigmented B. cousini and albino B. amazonica snails identified by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. This procedure was conducted using B. cousini and B. amazonica of the type locality accordingly to Paraense, 1966. In addition, susceptibility studies were performed using snails obtained from the crosses (hybrids) and three S. mansoni strains (LE, SJ, AL). The crosses between B. amazonica and B. cousini confirmed the occurrence of hybrids. Moreover, hybrids can be considered potential hosts of S. mansoni because they are susceptible to LE, SJ and AL strains (4.4 percent, 5.6 percent and 2.2 percent, respectively). These results indicate that there is a risk of introducing schistosomiasis mansoni into new areas.

Inheritance of Schistosoma mansoni infection incompatibility in Biomphalaria alexandrina snails

In this study, we looked at the inheritance of susceptibility and resistance to Schistosoma mansoni infection in the first generation of crossbred Biomphalaria alexandrina snails. Our ultimate goal is to use such information to develop a biological method of controlling schistosomiasis. We infected laboratory-bred snails with S. mansoni miracidia and examined cercarial shedding to determine susceptibility and resistance. Five parental groups were used: Group I contained 30 susceptible snails, Group II contained 30 resistant snails, Group III contained 15 susceptible and 15 resistant snails, Group IV contained 27 susceptible and three resistant snails and Group V contained three susceptible and 27 resistant snails. The percentage of resistant snails in the resulting progeny varied according to the ratio of susceptible and resistant parents per group; they are 7 percent, 100 percent, 68 percent, 45 percent and 97 percent from Groups I, II, III, IV and V, respectively. On increasing the percentage of resistant parent snails, the percentage of resistant progeny increased, while cercarial production in their susceptible progeny decreased.

Diversidade genética de Biomphalaria tenagophila (Orbigny, 1835) (Gastropoda: Planorbidae) no Estado de São Paulo, Brasil / Genetic diversity of Biomphalaria tenagophila (orbigny, 1835)(Gastropoda: Planorbidae) in São Paulo State, Brazil

A esquistossomose é uma doença parasitária, causada por trematódeos do gênero Schistosoma, com cerca de 150 e 200 milhões de pessoas infectadas em todo o mundo segundo a Organização Mundial da Saúde. No Brasil, a esquistossomose mansônica foi descrita em 18 Estados e no Distrito Federal. A expansão da doença está ligada à distribuição geográfica do caramujo hospedeiro intermediário. No Brasil são descritas dez espécies e umasubespécie de caramujos do gênero Biomphalaria. No Estado de São Paulo são encontradas oito espécies e a maior ocorrência dos casos autóctones de esquistossomose está relacionada à transmissão da doença nas bacias hidrográficas Paraíba do Sul, Litorânea e Tietê. Neste estudo foram realizadas análises genéticas a partir do gene mitocondrial Citocromo Oxidase I (COI) de caramujos B. tenagophila originários das bacias hidrográficas do Estado de São Paulo com descrição de casos autóctones de esquistossomose. O gene COI é utilizado com confiabilidade na identificação molecular de espécies, por esta razão foram adicionadas a este estudo amostras de DNA de caramujos pertencentes ao Complexo Tenagophila (B. occidentalis e a subespécie B.tenagophila guaibensis – amostras de DNA de caramujos originários do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul) e amostras de DNA do grupo de espécies hospedeiras naturais (B. glabrata e B. straminea) do Brasil. Os resultados revelaram a presença de duas populações geneticamente distintas de B. tenagophila no Estado de São Paulo. Populações de B. tenagophila pertencentes às bacias hidrográficas Paraíba do Sul, Litoral Norte e Paranapanema não apresentaram valores de divergência genética, sendo, portanto populações geneticamente homogêneas. Populações de B. tenagophila pertencentes às bacias hidrográficas do Ribeira do Iguape e Tietê apresentaram 92% de divergência genética entre si, constituindo grupo geneticamente ...

Seqüenciamento parcial do DNA mitocondrial de Biomphalaria straminea e análise comparativa com Biomphalaria glabrata e Biomphalaria tenagophila

No Brasil, existem três espécies hospedeiras intermediárias do Schistosoma mansoni: Biomphalaria glabrata, B. tenagophila e B. straminea. Em virtude da importância epidemiológica dessas espécies, técnicas moleculares vêm sendo introduzidas no estudo destes moluscos. Com o desenvolvimento da técnica de sequenciamento automático de nucleotídeos, tornou-se possível aumentar consideravelmente as informações sobre o genoma de diversos organismos, inclusive sobre o DNA mitocondrial de moluscos, no qual os estudos vêm crescendo nos últimos anos. Das espécies do gênero Biomphalaria, B. glabrata e B. tenagophila têm o seu genoma mitocondrial totalmente sequenciado. Neste trabalho foi parcialmente sequenciado e caracterizado o DNAmt de B. straminea e comparado aos de B. glabrata e B. tenagophila. Para sequenciar o DNAmt de B. straminea, foi extraído o DNA total da região cefalopodal do molusco. Inicialmente as regiões 16S, citocromo c oxidase subunidade I (COI), 12S, citocromo c oxidase subunidade III (COIII) e ND1 foram parcialmente amplificadas e sequenciadas. A partir das sequências obtidas, iniciadores específicos foram desenhados para amplificar quatro fragmentos maiores do DNA mitocondrial de B. straminea: 12SCOIII, COIII-COI, COI-16S e 16S-ND1, que foram clonados e sequenciados.

Para a amplificação desses fragmentos foram utilizados iniciadores direcionados para a técnica de PCR longo e em seguida desenhados iniciadores internos (primer walking). Foram sequenciados 7.764 nucleotídeos, totalizando 2.588 aminoácidos, relativos aos genes: COI, COIII, ND1 (parcial), ND2, ND3, ND4, ND5 e ND6. Foi realizada a comparação das sequências dos aminoácidos, dos códons de iniciação e de parada entre B. straminea, B. tenagophila e B. glabrata, sendo encontradas diferenças no tamanho e na composição dos genes. A ordem dos genes de B. straminea foi a mesma que a de B. tenagophila e B. glabrata. A sequência nucleotídica do gene COI foi analisada devido ao seu potencial na separação de espécies, baseada na abordagem de código de barra de DNA (DNA Barcode). Esta análise permitiu distinguir B. straminea das outras duas espécies transmissoras da esquistossomose no Brasil.

Seqüenciamento parcial do DNA mitocondrial de Biomphalaria straminea e análise comparativa com Biomphalaria glabrata e Biomphalaria tenagophila / Partial sequencing of the mitochondrial DNA of Biomphalaria straminea and comparative analysis with Biomphalaria glabrata and Biomphalaria tenagophila

No Brasil, existem três espécies hospedeiras intermediárias do Schistosoma mansoni: Biomphalaria glabrata, B. tenagophila e B. straminea. Em virtude da importância epidemiológica dessas espécies, técnicas moleculares vêm sendo introduzidas no estudo destes moluscos. Com o desenvolvimento da técnica de sequenciamento automático de nucleotídeos, tornou-se possível aumentar consideravelmente as informações sobre o genoma de diversos organismos, inclusive sobre o DNA mitocondrial de moluscos, no qual os estudos vêm crescendo nos últimos anos. Das espécies do gênero Biomphalaria, B. glabrata e B. tenagophila têm o seu genoma mitocondrial totalmente sequenciado. Neste trabalho foi parcialmente sequenciado e caracterizado o DNAmt de B. straminea e comparado aos de B. glabrata e B. tenagophila. Para sequenciar o DNAmt de B. straminea, foi extraído o DNA total da região cefalopodal do molusco. Inicialmente as regiões 16S, citocromo c oxidase subunidade I (COI), 12S, citocromo c oxidase subunidade III (COIII) e ND1 foram parcialmente amplificadas e sequenciadas. A partir das sequências obtidas, iniciadores específicos foram desenhados para amplificar quatro fragmentos maiores do DNA mitocondrial de B. straminea: 12SCOIII, COIII-COI, COI-16S e 16S-ND1, que foram clonados e sequenciados.

Para a amplificação desses fragmentos foram utilizados iniciadores direcionados para a técnica de PCR longo e em seguida desenhados iniciadores internos (primer walking). Foram sequenciados 7.764 nucleotídeos, totalizando 2.588 aminoácidos, relativos aos genes: COI, COIII, ND1 (parcial), ND2, ND3, ND4, ND5 e ND6. Foi realizada a comparação das sequências dos aminoácidos, dos códons de iniciação e de parada entre B. straminea, B. tenagophila e B. glabrata, sendo encontradas diferenças no tamanho e na composição dos genes. A ordem dos genes de B. straminea foi a mesma que a de B. tenagophila e B. glabrata. A sequência nucleotídica do gene COI foi analisada devido ao seu potencial na separação de espécies, baseada na abordagem de código de barra de DNA (DNA Barcode). Esta análise permitiu distinguir B. straminea das outras duas espécies transmissoras da esquistossomose no Brasil.

Diversidade genética de Biomphalaria tenagophila (Orbigny, 1835) (Gastropoda: Planorbidae) no Estado de São Paulo, Brasil / Genetic diversity of Biomphalaria tenagophila (orbigny, 1835)(Gastropoda: Planorbidae) in São Paulo State, Brazil

A esquistossomose é uma doença parasitária, causada por trematódeos do gênero Schistosoma, com cerca de 150 e 200 milhões de pessoas infectadas em todo o mundo segundo a Organização Mundial da Saúde. No Brasil, a esquistossomose mansônica foi descrita em 18 Estados e no Distrito Federal. A expansão da doença está ligada à distribuição geográfica do caramujo hospedeiro intermediário. No Brasil são descritas dez espécies e uma subespécie de caramujos do gênero Biomphalaria. No Estado de São Paulo são encontradas oito espécies e a maior ocorrência dos casos autóctones de esquistossomose está relacionada à transmissão da doença nas bacias hidrográficas Paraíba do Sul, Litorânea e Tietê. Neste estudo foram realizadas análises genéticas a partir do gene mitocondrial Citocromo Oxidase I (COI) de caramujos B. tenagophila originários das bacias hidrográficas do Estado de São Paulo com descrição de casos autóctones de esquistossomose. O gene COI é utilizado com confiabilidade na identificação molecular de espécies, por esta razão foram adicionadas a este estudo amostras de DNA de caramujos pertencentes ao Complexo Tenagophila (B. occidentalis e a subespécie B.tenagophila guaibensis – amostras de DNA de caramujos originários do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul) e amostras de DNA do grupo de espécies hospedeiras naturais (B. glabrata e B. straminea) do Brasil. Os resultados revelaram a presença de duas populações geneticamente distintas de B. tenagophila no Estado de São Paulo. Populações de B. tenagophila pertencentes às bacias hidrográficas Paraíba do Sul, Litoral Norte e Paranapanema não apresentaram valores de divergência genética, sendo, portanto populações geneticamente homogêneas. Populações de B. tenagophila pertencentes às bacias hidrográficas do Ribeira do Iguape e Tietê apresentaram 92% de divergência genética entre si, constituindo grupo geneticamente ...

Biomphalaria molluscs (Gastropoda: Planorbidae) in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

The present study was aimed at characterising Biomphalaria species using both morphological and molecular (PCR-RFLP) approaches. The specimens were collected in 15 localities in 12 municipalities of the southern region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The following species were found and identified: Biomphalaria tenagophila guaibensis, Biomphalaria oligoza and Biomphalaria peregrina. Specimens of the latter species were experimentally challenged with the LE Schistosoma mansoni strain, which showed to be refractory to infection.

Identification of a genetic marker associated with the resistance to Schistosoma mansoni infection using random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis

In schistosomiasis, the host/parasite interaction remains not completely understood. Many questions related to the susceptibility of snails to infection by respective trematode still remain unanswered. The control of schistosomiasis requires a good understanding of the host/parasite association. In this work, the susceptibility/resistance to Schistosoma mansoni infection within Biomphalaria alexandrina snails were studied starting one month post infection and continuing thereafter weekly up to 10 weeks after miracidia exposure. Genetic variations between susceptible and resistant strains to Schistosoma infection within B. alexandrina snails using random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis technique were also carried out. The results showed that 39.8 percent of the examined field snails were resistant, while 60.2 percent of these snails showed high infection rates.In the resistant genotype snails, OPA-02 primer produced a major low molecular weight marker 430 bp. Among the two snail strains there were interpopulational variations, while the individual specimens from the same snail strain, either susceptible or resistant, record semi-identical genetic bands. Also, the resistant character was ascendant in contrast to a decline in the susceptibility of snails from one generation to the next.

Biomphalaria tenagophila: dynamics of populations of resistant and susceptible strains to Schistosoma mansoni, with or without pressure of the parasite

Resistant (Taim, RS) and susceptible albino (Joinville, SC) Biomphalaria tenagophila populations were kept together, at different proportions, throughout a 18-month-period. Some of the snail groups were submitted to Schistosoma mansoni infection. The targets of this study were (a) to analyze the populational dynamics among resistant and susceptible individuals to S. mansoni; (b) to study the resistance phenotype in descendants of cross-breeding; (c) to observe whether the parasite could exert any kind of selection in those snail populations. Throughout the experiment it could be observed that the susceptible B. tenagophila strain (Joinville) underwent a selective pressure of the parasite that was negative, since the individuals showed a high mortality rate. Although B. tenagophila (Taim) population presented a higher mortality rate without pressure of the parasite, this event was compensated by a reproductive capacity. B. tenagophila Taim was more fecund than B. tenagophila Joinville and was able to transmit the resistance character to their descendants. F1 generation obtained by cross-breeding between resistant and susceptible lineages was completely resistant to S. mansoni infection, irrespective of the Taim proportion. Moreover, less than 5 percent of F2 progeny were susceptible to S. mansoni infection.

The Afro-American Biomphalariae

The reports on the occurrence of African planorbids in South America and of South American species in Africa and Asia are reviewed.

A bacterial artificial chromosome library for Biomphalaria glabrata, intermediate snail host of Schistosoma mansoni

To provide a novel resource for analysis of the genome of Biomphalaria glabrata, members of the international Biomphalaria glabrata Genome Initiative (biology.unm.edu/biomphalaria-genome.html), working with the Arizona Genomics Institute (AGI) and supported by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), produced a high quality bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library. The BB02 strain B. glabrata, a field isolate (Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil) that is susceptible to several strains of Schistosoma mansoni, was selfed for two generations to reduce haplotype diversity in the offspring. High molecular weight DNA was isolated from ovotestes of 40 snails, partially digested with HindIII, and ligated into pAGIBAC1 vector. The resulting B. glabrata BAC library (BG_BBa) consists of 61824 clones (136.3 kb average insert size) and provides 9.05 × coverage of the 931 Mb genome. Probing with single/low copy number genes from B. glabrata and fingerprinting of selected BAC clones indicated that the BAC library sufficiently represents the gene complement. BAC end sequence data (514 reads, 299860 nt) indicated that the genome of B. glabrata contains ~ 63 percent AT, and disclosed several novel genes, transposable elements, and groups of high frequency sequence elements. This BG_BBa BAC library, available from AGI at cost to the research community, gains in relevance because BB02 strain B. glabrata is targeted whole genome sequencing by NHGRI.

Identification of the Boudicca and Sinbad retrotransposons in the genome of the human blood fluke Schistosoma haematobium

Schistosomes have a comparatively large genome, estimated for Schistosoma mansoni to be about 270 megabase pairs (haploid genome). Recent findings have shown that mobile genetic elements constitute significant proportions of the genomes of S. mansoni and S. japonicum. Much less information is available on the genome of the third major human schistosome, S. haematobium. In order to investigate the possible evolutionary origins of the S. mansoni long terminal repeat retrotransposons Boudicca and Sinbad, several genomes were searched by Southern blot for the presence of these retrotransposons. These included three species of schistosomes, S. mansoni, S. japonicum, and S. haematobium, and three related platyhelminth genomes, the liver flukes Fasciola hepatica and Fascioloides magna and the planarian, Dugesia dorotocephala. In addition, Homo sapiens and three snail host genomes, Biomphalaria glabrata, Oncomelania hupensis, and Bulinus truncatus, were examined for possible indications of a horizontal origin for these retrotransposons. Southern hybridization analysis indicated that both Boudicca and Sinbad were present in the genome of S. haematobium. Furthermore, low stringency Southern hybridization analyses suggested that a Boudicca-like retrotransposon was present in the genome of B. truncatus, the snail host of S. haematobium.