Major host transitions are modulated through transcriptome-wide reprogramming events inSchistocephalus solidus, a threespine stickleback parasite

Hébert, F.O., Grambauer, S., Barber, I. ORCID: 0000-0003-3955-6674, Landry, C.R. and Aubin-Horth, N., 2017. Major host transitions are modulated through transcriptome-wide reprogramming events inSchistocephalus solidus, a threespine stickleback parasite. Molecular Ecology, 26 (4), pp. 1118-1130. ISSN 0962-1083

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Abstract

Parasites with complex life cycles have developed numerous phenotypic strategies, closely associated with developmental events, to enable the exploitation of different ecological niches and facilitate transmission between hosts. How these environmental shifts are regulated from a metabolic and physiological standpoint, however, still remain to be fully elucidated. We examined the transcriptomic response of Schistocephalus solidus, a trophically-transmitted parasite with a complex life cycle, over the course of its development in an intermediate host, the threespine stickleback, and the final avian host. Results from our differential gene expression analysis show major reprogramming events among deve lopmental stages. The final host stage is characterized by a strong activation of reproductive pathways and redox homeostasis. The attainment of infectivity in the fish intermediate host – which precedes sexual maturation in the final host and is associated with host behaviour changes – is marked by transcription of genes involved in neural pathways and sensory perception. Our results suggest that un(annotated and S. solidus (specific genes could play a determinant role in host-parasite molecular interactions required to complete the parasite's life cycle. Our results permit future comparative analyses to help disentangle species-specific patterns of infection from conserved mechanisms, ultimately leading to a better understanding of the molecular control and evolution of complex life cycles.

Item Type:	Journal article
Alternative Title:	Parasite transcriptome reprogramming [running title]
Publication Title:	Molecular Ecology
Creators:	Hébert, F.O., Grambauer, S., Barber, I., Landry, C.R. and Aubin-Horth, N.
Publisher:	Wiley-Blackwell
Date:	February 2017
Volume:	26
Number:	4
ISSN:	0962-1083
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1111/mec.13970 DOI
Divisions:	Schools > School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences
Record created by:	Linda Sullivan
Date Added:	11 Jul 2018 09:32
Last Modified:	11 Jul 2018 10:47
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/34052

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