Genome project of the giant kidney worm (Dioctophyme renale )

MALDONADO, L.; GIORDELLO, N.; BUTTI, M.; LAETSCH, D. R.; RADMAN, N. A.; KENNEDY, M. W.; CÓRSICO, B.; FRANCHINI, G.; BLAXTER, M.; KAMENETZKY, L.

Conferencia; 5th Ecology, Evolution, and Genomics of C. elegans and other Model Nematodes; 2018

Dioctophymerenale, the giant kidney worm, is one of the largest parasiticnematodes of vertebrates described. Itdevelops in, and completely destroys mammalian kidneys, and is thereby adebilitating and potentially lethal parasite of humans, domestic animals andendangered wildlife. D. renale has anindirect life cycle with an annelid as an intermediate host. This is a foundationalproject that is aimed to sequence and analyse the D. renale genome andwill underpin future work on Clade I nematode species. Previously we performedbiochemical characterization of the soluble proteins from body wall, intestine,gonads and pseudocelomic fluid (PCF) of adult parasites. Two proteins, P17 (16,622 Da)and P44 (44,460 Da), dominate the PCF of both male and females. P17accounts for the intense red colour of the adult parasites. It may function tocarry or scavenge oxygen and be related to the ´nemoglobins´ found in othernematode clades. P44 was found to associate with fatty acids by thin layerchromatography and fluorescence assays. It may therefore have a role indistributing lipids within the parasites and, if also secreted, might influencelocal inflammatory and tissue responses. We are assembling the genome of this parasiteto provide valuable information concerning its host-parasite relationships,particularly the biochemical and immunomodulatory functions of the PCF andother proteins.