Sequence Analysis and Molecular Characterization of Wnt4 Gene in Metacestodes of Taenia solium

Wnt proteins are a family of secreted glycoproteins that are evolutionarily conserved and considered to be involved in extensive developmental processes in metazoan organisms. The characterization of wnt genes may improve understanding the parasite's development. In the present study, a wnt4 gene encoding 491amino acids was amplified from cDNA of metacestodes of Taenia solium using reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR). Bioinformatics tools were used for sequence analysis. The conserved domain of the wnt gene family was predicted. The expression profile of Wnt4 was investigated using real-time PCR. Wnt4 expression was found to be dramatically increased in scolex evaginated cysticerci when compared to invaginated cysticerci. In situ hybridization showed that wnt4 gene was distributed in the posterior end of the worm along the primary body axis in evaginated cysticerci. These findings indicated that wnt4 may take part in the process of cysticerci evagination and play a role in scolex/bladder development of cysticerci of T. solium.

Screening of cDNA Clone for Putative RNA Polymerase Subunit of Cysticercus cellulosae / 中国寄生虫学与寄生虫病杂志

Objective To obtain related genes of Cysticercus cellulosae from spliced leader (SL) cDNA library. Methods Spliced leader library of Cysticercus cellulosae was constructed using SL specific primer and oligo (dT)15 with M13M4 primer, and positive clones were then screened randomly, identified with enzyme restriction, followed by sequencing and homologous analysis. Results The amino acid sequence, encoded by the positive clone with a poly (A) 22 tail and a complete open reading frame (ORF), was with homology of RNA polymerase subunit genes of human, B. napus, fission yeast, A. thaliana, C. elegans and fruit fly up to 71.6%. Conclusion The protein, RNA polymerase subunit encoded putatively by the clone, is high conservative in different species.