SummaryThe spo0A genes of Clostridium beijerinckii NCIMB 8052 and Clostridium cellulolyticum ATCC 35319 were isolated and characterized. The C-terminal DNA-binding domains of the predicted products of spo0A from these two organisms, as well as 16 other taxonomically diverse species of Bacillus and Clostridium, show extensive amino acid sequence conservation (56% identity, 65% similarity over 104 residues). A 12-amino-acid motif (SRVERAIRHAIE) that forms the putative DNA recognition helix is particularly highly conserved, suggesting a common DNA target.

This paper describes a global investigation of the components of Fasciola hepatica excretory-secretory (ES) products by a proteomic approach. Despite the absence of a F. hepatica genome sequencing project we have shown that it was possible to identify 29 of the 60 prominent proteins found using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. As well as cathepsin L proteases, a number of enzymes implicated in parasite protection from the host immune system were also found to be present in relatively large abundance. These included superoxide dismutase, thioredoxin peroxidase, glutathione S-transferases and fatty acid binding proteins, all of which may play a part in the detoxification of reactive oxygen intermediates. Interestingly, ovine superoxide dismutase was the only protein from the host identified on the gel. We suggest that the relative abundance and protective nature of the components of the ES products of this organism play an important role in its survival within the host. The precise identification, to individual NCBI database entries, of a number of glutathione S-transferases and cathepsin Ls from F. hepatica, by peptide mass fingerprinting, was hampered by multi-database submissions of the two protein superfamilies from this organism.

We describe the preparation of Echinococcus granulosus metacestode protein extracts for two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE). Protoscoleces and hydatid fluid were prepared by precipitation using trichloroacetic acid (TCA) to remove nonprotein contaminants. Compared to the untreated control, TCA precipitation improved the 2-DE gel profile of the protoscoleces proteins. Comparison of 2-DE gels from insoluble and soluble fractions of the protoscoleces protein extract showed that most proteins are insoluble after lysis by sonication. Host serum proteins, especially albumin and globulins, caused horizontal streaking problems on the hydatid fluid 2-DE gels due to their high content in this sample. Even after the preparation of a hydatid fluid parasite enriched fraction, the high amount of bovine serum albumin and globulins made parasite-specific proteins difficult to detect by 2-DE. Despite the absence of an E. granulosus genome sequencing or expressed sequence tag (EST) projects, it was possible to identify 15 prominent protein spots from a whole protein protoscoleces 2-DE gel by peptide mass fingerprinting. These include actins, tropomyosin, paramyosin, thioredoxin reductase, antigen P-29, cyclophilin, and the heat shock proteins hsp70 and hsp20. This work demonstrates that 2-DE and PMF are important tools to identify proteins from the hydatid fluid and protoscoleces and for the comparative analysis of cysts from different hosts or between active and resting cysts.

The phase II detoxification system glutathione transferase (GST) is associated with the establishment of parasitic nematode infections within the gastrointestinal environment of the mammalian host. We report the functional analysis of a GST from an important worldwide parasitic nematode of small ruminants, Haemonchus contortus. This GST shows limited activity with a range of classical GST substrates but effectively binds hematin. The high-affinity binding site for hematin was not present in the GST showing the most identity, CE07055 from the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. This finding suggests that the high-affinity binding of hematin may represent a parasite adaptation to blood or tissue feeding from the host.The gastrointestinal blood-feeding nematode Haemonchus contortus represents a major economic burden to agricultural communities worldwide, causing infections resulting in anemia, weight loss, and ultimately death in small ruminants. There are presently no commercial vaccines available for H. contortus infections, and the most effective method of control is a combination of pasture management and the use of chemical agents (anthelmintics). Increasing reports of drug-resistant H. contortus indicate that this current control strategy is not sustainable (26), with chemicals no longer effectively controlling H. contortus infections in several parts of the world (33). Understanding the host-parasite relationship at the mucosal feeding surface is important in identifying new therapeutic approaches. The levels of the phase II detoxification system glutathione transferase (GST) have been shown to increase in parasitic helminths during chronic infection (3). Previous research has attempted to correlate this overexpression with the ability of GST to detoxify immune-initiated cytotoxic products of lipid peroxidation (8, 10) or has associated the overexpression of GST, including H. contortus GST, with drug resistance (18,19). In this paper, we analyze a new GST from the sheep strongylid H. contortus and show that this GST does not appear to have a broad immune defense or drug metabolism role but possibly has a more focused detoxification function within the nematode. MATERIALS AND METHODSIsolation, recombinant expression, and purification of H. contortus GST. mRNA was isolated from adult H. contortus nematodes (CAVR, a drug-resistant strain) with a Quickprep Micro mRNA purification kit (Pharmacia). H. contortus cDNA was obtained with a First Strand cDNA synthesis kit (Pharmacia). The H. contortus GST-encoding DNA was isolated by an established strategy with an upstream primer derived from the N-terminal sequence of the native H. contortus GST protein (27) and a downstream oligo(dT)-based anchor primer (1, 5). The PCR product (approximately 650 bp) was cloned into pUC18 (SureClone ligation kit; Pharmacia), and the insert was sequenced. The H. contortus GST was directionally cloned into pET23d and sequenced in both directions (Long-read LI-COR, GenBank accession number AF281663). The recombinant H. contortu...