<i>In Silico</i> Analysis of the Fucosylation-Associated Genome of the Human Blood Fluke <i>Schistosoma mansoni</i>: Cloning and Characterization of the Fucosyltransferase Multigene Family

<div><p>Fucosylated glycans of the parasitic flatworm <i>Schistosoma mansoni</i> play key roles in its development and immunobiology. In the present study we used a genome-wide homology-based bioinformatics approach to search for genes that contribute to fucosylated glycan expression in <i>S. mansoni</i>, specifically the α2-, α3-, and α6-fucosyltransferases (FucTs), which transfer L-fucose from a GDP-L-fucose donor to an oligosaccharide acceptor. We identified and <i>in silico</i> characterized several novel schistosome FucT homologs, including six α3-FucTs and six α6-FucTs, as well as two protein O-FucTs that catalyze the unrelated transfer of L-fucose to serine and threonine residues of epidermal growth factor- and thrombospondin-type repeats. No α2-FucTs were observed. Primary sequence analyses identified key conserved FucT motifs as well as characteristic transmembrane domains, consistent with their putative roles as fucosyltransferases. Most genes exhibit alternative splicing, with multiple transcript variants generated. A phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that schistosome α3- and α6-FucTs form monophyletic clades within their respective gene families, suggesting multiple gene duplications following the separation of the schistosome lineage from the main evolutionary tree. Quantitative decreases in steady-state transcript levels of some FucTs during early larval development suggest a possible mechanism for differential expression of fucosylated glycans in schistosomes. This study systematically identifies the complete repertoire of FucT homologs in <i>S. mansoni</i> and provides fundamental information regarding their genomic organization, genetic variation, developmental expression, and evolutionary history.</p></div

Vector Index Data Roost and Non-Roost

Data used for calculating average vector index at roost and non-roost site

Sentinel Bird Exposure Data

Data describing exposure status of each sentinel bird and amount of time spent housed in field cage

Bird Baited Trap and Paired Light Trap Data

Culex abundance and infection data from bird baited traps and paired light traps used to estimate per capita vector index from 201

Emergence of <i>Culex</i> spp. mosquitoes from the nine catch basins receiving ¹⁵N enrichment in suburban Chicago in 2010 (A) and 2011 (B).

<p>Stars represent the dates when ¹⁵N-enriched female <i>Culex</i> pools were captured in traps.</p

Probability of detecting a marked female <i>Culex</i> spp. mosquito at different distances from larval origin.

<p>The prediction function is equal to (1+tanh((−0.76*x – 1.74)/2))/2. Dashed lines represent standard error.</p

Map of 2010 and 2011 mark-capture study region in suburban Chicago, Illinois.

<p>Gravid traps are orange triangles and light traps are blue circles and the larger trap symbols represent the 12 traps that captured marked <i>Culex</i> mosquitoes. Not all traps shown where trapped in both years. Red concentric rings represent the seven annuli used to calculate mean distance traveled. Inset shows nine catch basins enriched with ¹⁵N-potassium nitrate as green squares and the red star represents the mean center of these nine points.</p

Supplemental Table 2. Source data

Supplemental Table 2.Source data Text infiles, phylogenetic trees and source script for antigenic distance analyse

Figure 1B

gif files for rotational views of 3D antigenic maps in Figure

Figure 1A

gif files for rotational views of 3D antigenic maps in Figure