Mitochondria shed their outer membrane in response to infection-induced stress

Mitochondria shed their SPOTs Outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM) function is essential for cellular health. How mitochondria respond to naturally occurring OMM stress is unknown. Li et al . show that, upon infection with the human parasite Toxoplasma gondii , mitochondria shed large structures positive for OMM (SPOTs). SPOT formation required the parasite effector TgMAF1 and its interaction with the host mitochondrial receptor TOM70 and translocase SAM50. TOM70-dependent SPOT formation mediated a depletion of mitochondrial proteins and optimal parasite growth. SPOT-like structures also formed after OMM perturbations independently of infection. Thus, membrane remodeling is a feature of cellular responses to OMM stress that Toxoplasma hijacks during infection. —SMH

Review on Prevalence of Haemonchus Contort us in Ethiopian

In the 17th century, Robert Hooke invented the microscope and our life understanding and disease increased. Further understanding of the invisible, microscopic world has been occurred after the establishment of modern microbiology in the 19th century by Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch. Thanks to modern technology, there have been nearly 300 species of parasitic helminths known to be human parasite. Additionally, livestock, crops and pets are all victims of parasitic helminths, which cause extreme effects on the human population as well [1].

Whole-genome sequencing of Schistosoma mansoni reveals extensive diversity with limited selection despite mass drug administration

Control and elimination of the parasitic disease schistosomiasis relies on mass administration of praziquantel. Whilst these programmes reduce infection prevalence and intensity, their impact on parasite transmission and evolution is poorly understood. Here we examine the genomic impact of repeated mass drug administration on Schistosoma mansoni populations with documented reduced praziquantel efficacy. We sequenced whole-genomes of 198 S. mansoni larvae from 34 Ugandan children from regions with contrasting praziquantel exposure. Parasites infecting children from Lake Victoria, a transmission hotspot, form a diverse panmictic population. A single round of treatment did not reduce this diversity with no apparent population contraction caused by long-term praziquantel use. We find evidence of positive selection acting on members of gene families previously implicated in praziquantel action, but detect no high frequency functionally impactful variants. As efforts to eliminate schistosomiasis intensify, our study provides a foundation for genomic surveillance of this major human parasite.

Transposable Elements in the Genome of Human Parasite Schistosoma mansoni: A Review

Transposable elements (TEs) are DNA sequences able to transpose within the host genome and, consequently, influence the dynamics of evolution in the species. Among the possible effects, TEs insertions may alter the expression and coding patterns of genes, leading to genomic innovations. Gene-duplication events, resulting from DNA segmental duplication induced by TEs transposition, constitute another important mechanism that contributes to the plasticity of genomes. This review aims to cover the current knowledge regarding TEs in the genome of the parasite Schistosoma mansoni, an agent of schistosomiasis—a neglected tropical disease affecting at least 250 million people worldwide. In this context, the literature concerning TEs description and TEs impact on the genomic architecture for S. mansoni was revisited, displaying evidence of TEs influence on schistosome speciation—mediated by bursts of transposition—and in gene-duplication events related to schistosome–host coevolution processes, as well several instances of TEs contribution into the coding sequences of genes. These findings indicate the relevant role of TEs in the evolution of the S. mansoni genome.

Automated ChIPmentation procedure on limited biological material of the human blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni

Automated ChIPmentation procedure is a convenient alternative to native chromatin immunoprecipitation (N-ChIP). It is now routinely used for ChIP-Seq. Using the human parasite Schistosoma mansoni, whose production requires scarifying animals and should therefore kept to a minimum, we show here that the automated ChIPmentation is suitable for limited biological material. We define as operational limit ≥20,000 cells. We also present a streamlined protocol for the preparation of ChIP input libraries.