期刊
PARASITOLOGY
卷 137, 期 3, 页码 497-520出版社
CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS
DOI: 10.1017/S0031182010000053
关键词
Schistosoma mansoni; male-female interaction; vitellarium; ovary; testes; signal transduction; gonad morphology
类别
资金
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (CGG)
- Institut National Sante Recherche Medicale
- French Ministere de l'Education Nationale et de la Recherche
Among the topics of considerable interest concerning our understanding of the unusual biology of schistosomes is the sexual maturation of the female. The identification of genes coding for signal transduction proteins controlling essential steps of the pairing-dependent differentiation of the reproductive organs, vitellarium and ovary will help to substantiate our knowledge about this unique parasite. Furthermore, such signalling proteins could be potential targets to interfere with the development of this parasite to combat schistosomiasis since its pathology is caused by the eggs. This review summarises first post-genomic steps to elucidate the function of gonad-specific signalling molecules which were identified by homology-based cloning strategies, by in silico identification or by yeast two-hybrid interaction analyses, using a combination of novel techniques. These include the in vitro culture of adult schistosomes, their treatment with chemical inhibitors to block enzyme activity, the use of RNAi to silence gene function post-transcriptionally, and confocal laser scanning microscopy to study the morphological consequences of these experimental approaches. Finally, we propose a first model of protein networks that are active in the ovary regulating mitogenic activity and differentiation. Some of these molecules are also active in the testes of males, probably fulfilling similar roles as in the ovary.
作者
我是这篇论文的作者
点击您的名字以认领此论文并将其添加到您的个人资料中。
推荐
暂无数据