Intravascular Cleave the Host Immune and Hemostatic Signaling Molecule Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Tegumental Alkaline Phosphatase.

Schistosomes are parasitic flatworms that infect the vasculature of >200 million people around the world. These long-lived parasites do not appear to provoke blood clot formation or obvious inflammation around them . Proteins expressed at the host-parasite interface (such as alkaline phosphatase, SmAP) are likely key to these abilities.

Schistosome apyrase SmATPDase1, but not SmATPDase2, hydrolyses exogenous ATP and ADP.

Schistosomes are parasitic worms that can live in the bloodstream of their vertebrate hosts for many years. It has been proposed that the worms impinge on host purinergic signalling by degrading proinflammatory molecules like ATP as well as prothrombotic mediators like ADP. This capability may help explain the apparent refractoriness of the worms to both immune elimination and thrombus formation.

Schistosome tegumental ecto-apyrase (SmATPDase1) degrades exogenous pro-inflammatory and pro-thrombotic nucleotides.

Schistosomes are parasitic worms that can survive in the hostile environment of the human bloodstream where they appear refractory to both immune elimination and thrombus formation. We hypothesize that parasite migration in the bloodstream can stress the vascular endothelium causing this tissue to release chemicals alerting responsive host cells to the stress. Such chemicals are called damage associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and among the most potent is the proinflammatory mediator, adenosine triphosphate (ATP).

Schistosome Na,K-ATPase as a therapeutic target.

Na,K-ATPases are ubiquitous membrane-bound enzymes comprising α and β subunits. Here we clone a Na,K-ATPase β homolog (designated SNaK1β) from the human parasitic platyhelminth, Schistosoma mansoni. The predicted protein is about 33 kDa, and contains a single transmembrane domain and multiple conserved motifs.

Tegumental phosphodiesterase SmNPP-5 is a virulence factor for schistosomes.

The intravascular trematode Schistosoma mansoni is a causative agent of schistosomiasis, a disease that constitutes a major health problem globally. In this study we cloned and characterized the schistosome tegumental phosphodiesterase SmNPP-5 and evaluated its role in parasite virulence. SmNPP-5 is a 52.

Using RNA interference in Schistosoma mansoni.

Schistosomes are parasitic worms that infect over 200 million people and constitute an enormous public health problem worldwide. Molecular tools are being developed for use with these parasites in order to increase our understanding of their unique molecular and cell biology. Among the more promising methodologies is RNA interference (RNAi, or gene silencing), a mechanism by which gene-specific double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) triggers degradation of homologous mRNA transcripts.

Characterization of schistosome tegumental alkaline phosphatase (SmAP).

Schistosomes are parasitic platyhelminths that currently infect over 200 million people globally. The parasites can live for years in a putatively hostile environment - the blood of vertebrates. We have hypothesized that the unusual schistosome tegument (outer-covering) plays a role in protecting parasites in the blood; by impeding host immunological signaling pathways we suggest that tegumental molecules help create an immunologically privileged environment for schistosomes.

RNA interference in schistosomes: machinery and methodology.

RNA interference (RNAi) is a potent gene silencing process that is playing an increasingly important role in investigations of gene function in schistosomes. Here we review what is known about the process in these parasites and provide an update on the methodology and machinery of RNAi. Data are presented to demonstrate that: (1) not all schistosome genes can be suppressed to the same extent, using the methods employed here; (2) while there is variation in the level of suppression achieved for one target gene (SmAP) in adult parasites, all individuals exhibit robust (>80%) suppression; (3) short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) can effect suppression when delivered by soaking (and not just via electroporation, as reported previously); (4) Male/female adult pairs need not be separated prior to siRNA delivery by electroporation for effective gene suppression in both genders and (5) electroporation of siRNAs in medium is as efficient as in commercial electroporation buffer.

Purinergic signaling and immune modulation at the schistosome surface?

After tissue stress or injury, intracellular ATP can be released into the extracellular environment. This signals cell damage because extracellular ATP acts as a danger-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) that is potently proinflammatory. Vertebrates temper this effect by catabolizing ATP to adenosine - a strongly anti-inflammatory molecule - using a set of characterized ecto-enzymes (notably alkaline phosphatase, phosphodiesterase and ATP diphosphohydrolase).

Purification and characterization of tannin acyl hydrolase from Aspergillus niger MTCC 2425.

The present investigation was carried out for increasing the yield of tannase of Aspergillus niger and the physico-chemical characterization of this enzyme. the extraction of enzyme protein. However, extraction of fungal pigments and proteins was observed to have high pH dependence, and maximum enzyme extraction was obtained at pH 5.