• During this time he generated and analysed genome sequences for a wide range of species, identified the role of pir genes in establishing chronic infections in malaria parasites and published the first single-cell RNA-seq dataset for these parasites. (cam.ac.uk)
  • 2019) The Malaria Cell Atlas: Single parasite transcriptomes across the complete Plasmodium life cycle. (cam.ac.uk)
  • 2018) Single-cell RNA-seq reveals hidden transcriptional variation in malaria parasites. (cam.ac.uk)
  • Of the six diseases singled out for research emphasis by the Special Program for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, sponsored by the World Bank, the United Nations Development Program, and the World Health Organization, five are caused by parasites: malaria, schistosomiasis, filariasis, trypano- somiasis, and leishmaniasis. (nih.gov)
  • Neglected diseases caused by helminth infections impose a massive hindrance to progress in the developing world. (biomedcentral.com)
  • Commonly called the Barber's pole worm, due to its distinctive blood-filled gut of the female parasite that spirals around the paler reproductive tract throughout most of its body ( Figure 1 ), it feeds on its host's blood causing symptoms associated with anaemia and at high parasite burdens, infections can be fatal. (springernature.com)
  • changes in host-parasite ecological interactions during biological invasion events may affect both the outcome of invasions and the dynamics of exotic and/or endemic infections. (liverpool.ac.uk)
  • However, modern biologic concepts and advances in techniques are now enabling researchers to address such exciting and long-standing questions about parasite-host interactions as the following: (1) How are these unicellular and multicellular organisms capable of establishing infections? (nih.gov)
  • The field of parasitology has been limited to those organisms that belong to the animal king- dom, although bacteria, viruses, and fungi are also parasites. (nih.gov)
  • Many of the arthropods also are vectors that transmit the protozoan and helminthic parasites. (nih.gov)
  • helminths) or bacteria (Vibrio spp. (nih.gov)
  • For instance, Giardia lamblia (see the image below) has been shown to lack mitochondria and shown to contain ribosomal RNA sequences that resemble bacteria. (medscape.com)
  • Studying host-parasite interactions in vivo is challenging and we conclude this review by briefly discussing the applications of organoids (stem-cell derived mini-tissues) to examine host-parasite interactions at the local level, and as a potential system to study parasite development in vitro. (gla.ac.uk)
  • Reid AJ (2014) Large, rapidly evolving gene families are at the forefront of host-parasite interactions in Apicomplexa. (cam.ac.uk)
  • The first pertains to terminology: interactions among several parasites and hosts are complicated enough but confusion is added by the proliferation and/or ambiguous use and misuse of terms characterizing them. (biorxiv.org)
  • We've also validated a brand new functional assay to characterize these receptors, which can be modified for future use as a highthroughput drug screening method for parasite chloride channels.One method which has been employed for assessing the therapeutic value of candidate genes in parasites, particularly helminths, is RNA interference (RNAi) [20?2]. (hsvinhibitor.com)
  • RNA interference, in vitro drug assays). (springernature.com)
  • Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as a ubiquitous component of helminth excretory-secretory products that can deliver parasite molecules to host cells to elicit immunomodulatory effects. (edu.hk)
  • They are multifunctional molecules affecting the interaction between filarial parasites and their mammalian hosts including immune responses. (biomedcentral.com)
  • In the RNA Molecular Biology Group, we are studying the impact of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) on the fate of bound RNA molecules. (nih.gov)
  • Small, linear single-stranded RNA molecules functionally acting as molecular parasites of certain RNA plant viruses. (nih.gov)
  • [ 90 ] There is, however, growing promise that the Human Microbiome Project, [ 206 ] which seeks to deep-sequence 16S ribosomal subunits of bacterial RNA, may help in identifying targets for gut biota manipulation, leading to more targeted and promising therapies. (medscape.com)
  • A quantitative PCR was developed by using the small subunit of the ribosomal RNA gene (SSU rRNA) as a DNA target, which is conserved in all Leishmania species. (researchgate.net)
  • He then spent a productive 12 years as postdoc and staff scientist in the Parasite Genomics group at the Wellcome Sanger Institute with Dr Matthew Berriman. (cam.ac.uk)
  • International Helminth Genomes Consortium (2018) Comparative genomics of the major parasitic worms. (cam.ac.uk)
  • A major milestone of the BUG Consortium ( https://bugconsortium.wordpress.com/ ), a multidisciplinary group focused on building genomic resources to map genes driving anthelmintic resistance, these genome resources represent years of work by many people, including long-running collaborative efforts of the Parasite Genomics Group at the Wellcome Sanger Institute ( https://www.sanger.ac.uk/group/berriman-group/ ), the University of Glasgow, and the Moredun Research Institute. (springernature.com)
  • 2) What genes regulate the transformation of parasites through their complex life cycle? (nih.gov)
  • Some of the technical advances that have been crucial to the study of parasites are the production of monoclonal antibodies, the isolation of specific genes, and the culturing and growth of some of these organisms in the laboratory. (nih.gov)
  • Picobirnaviruses (PBVs) with bisegmented small RNA genome profile (1.75 and 1.55kbp for segment 1 and 2, respectively) were detected from 1999 to 2003 in faecal specimens of acute watery diarrhoea cases, largely children (n=20) and an adult in Kolkata, India. (nih.gov)
  • There he studied the evolution and function of parasite genomes, using bioinformatics applied to whole genome sequencing, bulk and single-cell RNA-seq technologies. (cam.ac.uk)
  • These findings further showed that the adenosine was derived from extracellular ATP and essentially functions as an endogenous danger signal likely triggered through tissue damage occurring as helminth parasites cross the intestinal barrier. (rutgers.edu)
  • Here we review the application of scRNA-seq to establish gene expression cell atlases for multicellular helminths and to explore the expansion and molecular profile of individual host cell types involved in parasite immunity and tissue repair. (gla.ac.uk)
  • See Common Intestinal Parasites, a Critical Images slideshow, to help make an accurate diagnosis. (medscape.com)
  • This encompasses the study of important bacterial and fungal species, viruses, and eukaryotic parasites. (bath.ac.uk)
  • We found that DND1 may be necessary for the clearance of unwanted RNA in the cells, and that it binds to specific sequences on RNA and recruits molecular machinery that degrades RNA. (nih.gov)
  • Amplification of RNA sequences, e.g. (distantreader.org)
  • 2020) Genomic and transcriptomic evidence for descent from Plasmodium and loss of blood schizogony in Hepatocystis parasites from naturally infected red colobus monkeys. (cam.ac.uk)
  • Single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) adds a new dimension to studying parasite biology and host immunity by enabling gene profiling at the individual cell level. (gla.ac.uk)
  • In April 2023, Dr. Yuan-Xiang Tao and his team in Department of Anesthesiology and Center for Immunity and Inflammation published an exciting work in Brain that identified a novel non-coding RNA named sensory neuron-specific lncRNA ( SS-lncRNA ), for its expression exclusively in the neurons of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and trigeminal ganglion. (rutgers.edu)
  • MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small (∼22 nucleotides) non-coding RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression by interacting with target mRNAs. (nih.gov)
  • Microarray analysis and bulk RNA sequencing have provided a wealth of data on gene expression as parasites develop through different life-cycle stages and on host cell responses to infection. (gla.ac.uk)
  • RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Background Parasitic diseases continue to represent tremendous public health problems, especially for people living in the tropics where parasites are responsible for deaths and impaired growth and development of children and debilitating, chronic diseases among adults. (nih.gov)
  • Parasite diseases also affect the United States. (nih.gov)
  • This paper describes some basic biologic questions that are being studied in parasites by several different scientific disci- plines, and then suggests potential future applications of such information to preven- tion and treatment of parasitic diseases. (nih.gov)
  • My lab and I are studying the parasites and microbes underlying infectious diseases worldwide for the purpose of developing and applying new methodologies to combat these pathogens. (nih.gov)
  • When RNA regulation goes wrong, the consequences can be devastating and include a wide range of disorders such as cancer, sterility, muscular dystrophy, and many neurological diseases. (nih.gov)
  • In fact it is a living structure consisting of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and RNA. (wikipedia.org)
  • Integration of these large-scale datasets allows us to elucidate the function and molecular mechanisms of RNA-binding proteins involved in RNA transport, RNA stability and turnover, and RNA translation. (nih.gov)
  • Giardia, a protozoan parasite, is one of the most common causes of epidemic infectious diarrhea in this country. (nih.gov)
  • During the last two decades research on animal filarial parasites, especially Onchocerca ochengi, infecting cattle in savanna areas of Africa revealed that O. ochengi as an animal model has biological features that are similar to those of O. volvulus, the aetiological agent of human onchocerciasis. (biomedcentral.com)
  • RNAs are one type of cargo molecule that can underpin EV functions, hence there is extensive interest in characterising the RNAs that are present in EVs from different helminth species. (edu.hk)
  • H. contortus is also a "model parasite" commonly used in drug and vaccine development research (one of the few parasite species for which a commercially available vaccine is in use), attractive due to the fact that it can be cultured, preserved, and can be experimentally mated (i.e., different strains can be genetically crossed within the host) and manipulated (e.g. (springernature.com)
  • The RNA-seq mappings were also used in braker to train species parameters and generate an initial set of annotations. (wormbase.org)
  • Organoid technology and its applications have developed rapidly, and the elegant studies performed to date support the use of organoids as an alternative in vitro system for research on helminth parasites. (gla.ac.uk)
  • The goal of my laboratory is to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms that account for host resistance to protozoan parasites. (rochester.edu)
  • Our approach has been multidisciplinary, ranging from the creation of new mouse models with altered innate immune functions, to detailed biochemical and structural analyses of TLRs involved in recognition of protozoan parasites. (rochester.edu)
  • or (3) development of new approaches for interruption of the parasite life cycle at the level of the invertebrate (vector) host. (nih.gov)
  • We report the high-coverage sequencing (RNA-Seq) and assembly of the transcriptome of the planarian Girardia tigrina across a set of dynamic conditions. (biomedcentral.com)
  • Ideas look at the basis for these types of adaptations, the precise popular features of the particular mammalian infective trypanosome that are necessary to meet up with these kinds of difficulties, and the way these kind of techniques the two tell on fundamental parasite chemistry and biology and present probable beneficial goals. (atm-signaling.com)
  • As proof of principle, we show that a simple RNAi and pharmacology pipeline in the more convenient planarian model system can inform parasite biology and serve as an efficient screening tool for the identification of lucrative anthelmintic targets. (biomedcentral.com)
  • These concerns underpin efforts to extend the utility of planarian biology to the study of nearly-related parasites [ 12 ], mirroring the important role that Caenorhabditis elegans has played in furthering our understanding of the biology of parasitic nematodes [ 13 ]. (biomedcentral.com)
  • BASIC RESEARCH ON PARASITES MOLECULAR BIOLOGY Antigenic Variation African trypanosomiasis is characterized by cyclic parasitemia, that is, by the appearance in the blood stream every 7 to 10 days of waves of organisms. (nih.gov)
  • Further, parasites have evolved very specialized adaptations that enable them to infect the host and then evade the host's defense mechanisms while they survive and replicate, utilizing for these purposes the host's metabolic processes. (nih.gov)
  • The mechanisms by which parasites adapt to their environ- ment are diverse and ingenious, and are only beginning to be understood. (nih.gov)
  • Isothermal diagnostic assays for the detection of soil-transmitted helminths based on the SmartAmp2 method. (cdc.gov)
  • Although the body mounts an antibody response, the parasite can change its surface antigen hundreds of times, always keeping ahead of the host's immune response. (nih.gov)
  • In both, humans and cattle, some individuals are nearly or completely free from the parasite despite living in highly endemic areas. (biomedcentral.com)
  • Despite the concerted efforts of MDA programs, the prevalence and transmission of schistosomiasis has remained largely unchecked due to the fact that PZQ is ineffective against juvenile schistosomes, does not prevent re-infection and the emergence of PZQ-resistant parasites. (biomedcentral.com)
  • Here, we investigated if diets supplemented with purified PAC modulated pulmonary and intestinal mucosal immune responses during infection with the helminth parasite Ascaris suum in pigs. (usda.gov)
  • Whilst PAC had only minor effects on pulmonary immune responses, RNA-sequencing of intestinal tissues revealed that dietary PAC significantly enhanced transcriptional responses related to immune function and antioxidant responses in the gut of both naïve and A. suum-infected animals. (usda.gov)
  • Community-based screening of hepatitis C with a one-step RNA detection algorithm from dried-blood spots: analysis of key populations in Barcelona, Spain. (cdc.gov)
  • Due to the establishment of wild populations of European deers in Southern Chile, sharing grazing places between native and exotic deers could allow for the transmission of such parasites. (unam.mx)
  • Natural populations often have to cope with genetically distinct parasites that can coexist, or not, within the same hosts. (biorxiv.org)
  • Galectins can be generated by parasites and their hosts. (biomedcentral.com)
  • Cercariae penetrates the skin of humans and/or other mammalian hosts, shed their tails and transform into migrating larvae which enter into circulation traversing various host organs en route to the lungs. (biomedcentral.com)
  • Many of the human parasites have multiple hosts and may have several devel- opmental stages in each host. (nih.gov)
  • While the emergence of resistance by human-infective helminths is less well established, resistance is clearly established in helminths of veterinary importance throughout the world, such that in some regions, treatment options are running out. (springernature.com)
  • How parasites develop and survive, and how they stimulate or modulate host immune responses are important in understanding disease pathology and for the design of new control strategies. (gla.ac.uk)
  • Type 2 immune responses are mounted in the context of barrier disruption and entry of infectious agents, including parasites, or tissue-damaging or innocuous protein antigens, collectively termed allergens or toxins. (nature.com)
  • It forms the protective layer and the host-parasite interface of the worms, serving both secretory and absorptive functions. (wikipedia.org)
  • The tegument is the host-parasite interface, and metabolically active body covering performing all the vital activities such as protection, absorption and secretion. (wikipedia.org)
  • While there is considerable knowledge of the morphological changes taking place during the life cycle of D. viviparus , very little is understood about the fundamental molecular and biochemical processes underlying the development and survival of this parasite and the parasite-host interplay. (biomedcentral.com)
  • 7) What biochemical path- ways do parasites have that differ from the host and can these be used as targets for new drugs? (nih.gov)
  • Conversely, situations where several parasite genotypes present in the population that cannot coexist in the same individual host can be referred to as 'superinfection' [ 23 ] (here understood as 'within-host replacement') or 'mutual exclusion' [ 24 ]. (biorxiv.org)
  • deciphering this mystery may provide new ways to diagnose and monitor resistance emergence so that parasites can be more effectively managed and the lifespan of the limited number of drugs currently available can be preserved, as well as developing new ways to control them. (springernature.com)
  • 5) What mecha- nisms do parasites use to evade the host's immune and other protective defenses? (nih.gov)
  • No co-infection with parasites (Cryptosporidium spp. (nih.gov)
  • The present findings reflect the phylogenetic relationship between the two parasites and endorse the appropriateness of the cattle O. ochengi model for O. volvulus infection research. (biomedcentral.com)
  • This characterisation of infection patterns opens new perspectives for understanding the epidemiology and the evolution of parasites. (biorxiv.org)
  • Here we outline methods for identifying all of the small RNAs (sRNA) in helminth EVs and address how different methodologies may influence the sRNAs detected. (edu.hk)
  • This work followed up his team's previous exciting findings published in J Clin Invest last year (July 2022), which reported that a new identified nerve injury-specific long-noncoding RNA (NIS-lncRNA) promoted neuropathic pain by increasing the expression of CCL2, a small cytokine. (rutgers.edu)
  • Helminths, more commonly called parasitic worms, represent an incredibly diverse group of organisms that exploit a variety of life-history strategies for their survival and persistence. (springernature.com)
  • Such helminths were identified as adult females and males of Dictyocaulus eckerti Skrjabin, 1931, a lungworm isolated in wild and domestic deers from Europe, New Zealand and North America. (unam.mx)
  • In this study, pigs were infected with the parasite Ascaris suum then treated with grapeseed PAC supplementation to study the effect of PAC on pathogens that induce a strong, a strong immune response in lung and intestinal tissues. (usda.gov)
  • While basic research on parasitic flatworms (platyhelminths) continues to expand, researchers have yet to broadly adopt a free-living model to complement the study of these important parasites. (biomedcentral.com)
  • There are two major reasons for the current intense interest in the study of parasites. (nih.gov)
  • Because of their complexity, animal parasites are difficult to study. (nih.gov)
  • One recent example that illustrates our approach to dissecting posttranscriptional gene regulatory networks is our study of the RNA-binding protein Dead-end 1 (DND1), which is known to play a role in the development and maintenance of the germline. (nih.gov)
  • We show that different EV purification methods introduce relatively little variation in the sRNAs that are detected, and that different RNA library preparation methods yielded larger differences. (edu.hk)