Expressed sequence tag (EST) analysis of a Schistosoma japonicum cercariae cDNA library

Expressed sequence tags (ESTs) constitute a rapid and informative strategy for studying gene-expression profiles of specific stages of schistosomes. To date, only approximately equal 2000 ESTs of Schistosoma japonicum have been deposited in databases. This is insufficient to understand the biology and development of this species. In this report, a cDNA library constructed from S. japonicum cercariae RNA was used to generate ESTs. Cercariae are the larval forms of Schistosoma responsible for infection of the vertebrate host and one of the main objectives of this research was to discover and characterize new and unique genes from this stage. The expression products of those stage-specific genes can potentially be useful as new drugs or vaccine targets applicable for controlling Asian schistosomiasis. In our study, 101 cDNA clones were sequenced either from 5' or 3' end of the cDNAs. Some 42 ESTs (42%) matched known genes, while 59 ESTs did not match with any known genes. Among the 42 former ESTs, 29 (informative ESTs) matched to functional genes and 13 matched with ribosomal proteins or RNA genes. Among the latter 59 ESTs, 21 matched with published ESTs of S. japonicum or S. mansoni, two matched with human ESTs and the other 18 did not match with any published sequences. The informative ESTs could be grouped into nine categories: regulatory and signaling proteins (24.1%), transcription and translation machinery proteins (13.8%), RNA binding proteins (6.9%), structural and cytoskeletal proteins (6.9%), DNA binding proteins (3.4%), DNA scaffold proteins (3.4%), transporter proteins (3.4%) and others (31%). Some functional genes relevant to the physiology of cercariae are discussed.