Parasite-responsive IgSF members in the snail Biomphalaria glabrata: characterization of novel genes with tandemly arranged IgSF domains and a fibrinogen domain

Immunogenetics. 2001 Oct;53(8):684-94. doi: 10.1007/s00251-001-0386-8. Epub 2001 Nov 14.

Abstract

Two novel genes of the immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF), FREP3 and FREP7, are reported from the snail Biomphalaria glabrata, a prominent intermediate host of the human parasite Schistosoma mansoni. They resemble other B. glabrata genes that encode fibrinogen-related proteins (FREPs), but differ in that they encode proteins with two tandemly arranged IgSF domains followed by a C-terminal fibrinogen domain. FREPs are hemolymph proteins that increase in abundance following exposure to a digenetic trematode, Echinostoma paraensei, and that bind to and precipitate parasite antigens. Within each gene, the two IgSF-coding regions are dissimilar from one another: the N-terminal IgSF1 domain is encoded by a single exon whereas the downstream IgSF2 domain is encoded by three exons. For both FREPs 3 and 7, the IgSF2 domain belongs to the variable (V) type, whereas the IgSF1 domain is not easily classified with respect to IgSF type. The fibrinogen-encoding region in both genes is relatively conserved and lacks introns. FREP3 exhibits extensive variation in the IgSF1 region. A ratio of nonsynonymous versus synonymous substitutions of 2.56 suggests that this region is under positive selection. A genomic fragment identifiable as FREP7 but lacking an exon was also found, further suggestive of variability within FREP IgSF-encoding regions. Insofar as FREPs are hypothesized to function in nonself recognition, the identification of additional novel FREP genes as part of a growing gene family in B. glabrata is of interest. Such genes, particularly given their variable nature, serve as a model to study the complexity of invertebrate defense responses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Exons / genetics
  • Fibrinogen / chemistry*
  • Immunoglobulins / chemistry*
  • Immunoglobulins / genetics
  • Immunoglobulins / immunology*
  • Introns / genetics
  • Lectins / chemistry
  • Lectins / genetics
  • Lectins / immunology
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Polymorphism, Genetic / genetics
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid / genetics
  • Repetitive Sequences, Amino Acid / genetics
  • Schistosoma mansoni / immunology*
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Snails / genetics*
  • Snails / immunology*
  • Snails / parasitology
  • Transcription Initiation Site

Substances

  • Immunoglobulins
  • Lectins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • fibrinogen-related protein 3, Biomphalaria glabrata
  • fibrinogen-related protein 7, Biomphalaria glabrata
  • Fibrinogen

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AY028461
  • GENBANK/AY028462