Major SCP/TAPS protein expansion in Lucilia cuprina is associated with novel tandem array organisation and domain architecture.
Parasit Vectors
; 13(1): 598, 2020 Nov 27.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33246493
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Larvae of the Australian sheep blowfly, Lucilia cuprina, parasitise sheep by feeding on skin excretions, dermal tissue and blood, causing severe damage known as flystrike or myiasis. Recent advances in -omic technologies and bioinformatic data analyses have led to a greater understanding of blowfly biology and should allow the identification of protein families involved in host-parasite interactions and disease. Current literature suggests that proteins of the SCP (Sperm-Coating Protein)/TAPS (Tpx-1/Ag5/PR-1/Sc7) (SCP/TAPS) superfamily play key roles in immune modulation, cross-talk between parasite and host as well as developmental and reproductive processes in parasites.METHODS:
Here, we employed a bioinformatics workflow to curate the SCP/TAPS protein gene family in L. cuprina. Protein sequence, the presence and number of conserved CAP-domains and phylogeny were used to group identified SCP/TAPS proteins; these were compared to those found in Drosophila melanogaster to make functional predictions. In addition, transcription levels of SCP/TAPS protein-encoding genes were explored in different developmental stages.RESULTS:
A total of 27 genes were identified as belonging to the SCP/TAPS gene family encoding 26 single-domain proteins each with a single CAP domain and a solitary double-domain protein containing two conserved cysteine-rich secretory protein/antigen 5/pathogenesis related-1 (CAP) domains. Surprisingly, 16 SCP/TAPS predicted proteins formed an extended tandem array spanning a 53 kb region of one genomic region, which was confirmed by MinION long-read sequencing. RNA-seq data indicated that these 16 genes are highly transcribed in all developmental stages (excluding the embryo).CONCLUSIONS:
Future work should assess the potential of selected SCP/TAPS proteins as novel targets for the control of L. cuprina and related parasitic flies of major socioeconomic importance.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Sheep Diseases
/
Insect Proteins
/
Diptera
/
Myiasis
Type of study:
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Animals
Country/Region as subject:
Oceania
Language:
En
Journal:
Parasit Vectors
Year:
2020
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Australia