Korean J Parasitol.  2016 Oct;54(5):653-658. 10.3347/kjp.2016.54.5.653.

Differential Expression of Hox and Notch Genes in Larval and Adult Stages of Echinococcus granulosus

• Dezaki ES
• Yaghoobi M
• Taheri E
• Almani PG
• Tohidi F
• Gottstein
• Harandi MF

• KMID: 2360530
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2016.54.5.653

Abstract

This investigation aimed to evaluate the differential expression of HoxB7 and notch genes in different developmental stages of Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto. The expression of HoxB7 gene was observed at all developmental stages. Nevertheless, significant fold differences in the expression level was documented in the juvenile worm with 3 or more proglottids, the germinal layer from infected sheep, and the adult worm from an experimentally infected dog. The notch gene was expressed at all developmental stages of E. granulosus; however, the fold difference was significantly increased at the microcysts in monophasic culture medium and the germinal layer of infected sheep in comparison with other stages. The findings demonstrated that the 2 aforementioned genes evaluated in the present study were differentially expressed at different developmental stages of the parasite and may contribute to some important biological processes of E. granulosus.

Keyword

Echinococcus granulosus; cystic echinococcosis; HoxB7 gene; notch gene; real-time PCR

MeSH Terms

Adult*
Animals
Biological Processes
Dogs
Echinococcus granulosus*
Echinococcus*
Humans
Parasites
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
Sheep