Stage and tissue specific differences in SjBMI1, a Polycomb protein in Schistosoma japonicum

Parasitol Res. 2010 Feb;106(3):677-82. doi: 10.1007/s00436-010-1734-0. Epub 2010 Jan 23.

Abstract

Polycomb group protein BMI1, plays a central role in the stem cell pluripotency and development in metazoans. A gene encoding BMI1 homologue in the Schistosoma japonicum (SjBMI1) was cloned and identified. The deduced amino acid sequence shows high identity to the homologues from Schistosoma mansoni and Homo sapiens. Quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis revealed that the SjBMI1 is highly expressed in adult worms and eggs, not in cercariae. By immunofluorescent studies, SjBMI1 was localized to testes, ovaries of mixed sex infected adult worms, but not of single sex infected adult worms. The study reveals the SjBMI1 expression profile in developmental stages and localization characteristic and provides a clue that it may be associated with reproductive development of S. japonicum.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animal Structures / chemistry
  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • DNA, Protozoan / chemistry
  • DNA, Protozoan / genetics
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Profiling*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*
  • Male
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Polycomb-Group Proteins
  • Protozoan Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Protozoan Proteins / genetics
  • Repressor Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Repressor Proteins / genetics
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Schistosoma japonicum / genetics
  • Schistosoma japonicum / growth & development
  • Schistosoma japonicum / physiology*
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid

Substances

  • DNA, Protozoan
  • Polycomb-Group Proteins
  • Protozoan Proteins
  • Repressor Proteins

Associated data

  • GENBANK/EU912526