Skip to main content
bioRxiv
  • Home
  • About
  • Submit
  • ALERTS / RSS
Advanced Search
New Results

Comparative genomics of the major parasitic worms

International Helminth Genomes Consortium
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/236539
1Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SA, UK
  • Abstract
  • Full Text
  • Info/History
  • Metrics
  • Supplementary material
  • Preview PDF
Loading

ABSTRACT

Parasitic nematodes (roundworms) and platyhelminths (flatworms) cause debilitating chronic infections of humans and animals, decimate crop production and are a major impediment to socioeconomic development. Here we compare the genomes of 81 nematode and platyhelminth species, including those of 76 parasites. From 1.4 million genes, we identify gene family births and hundreds of large expanded gene families at key nodes in the phylogeny that are relevant to parasitism. Examples include gene families that modulate host immune responses, enable parasite migration though host tissues or allow the parasite to feed. We use a wide-ranging in silico screen to identify and prioritise new potential drug targets and compounds for testing. We also uncover lineage-specific differences in core metabolism and in protein families historically targeted for drug development. This is the broadest comparative study to date of the genomes of parasitic and non-parasitic worms. It provides a transformative new resource for the research community to understand and combat the diseases that parasitic worms cause.

Copyright 
The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
Back to top
PreviousNext
Posted December 20, 2017.
Download PDF

Supplementary Material

Email

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word about bioRxiv.

NOTE: Your email address is requested solely to identify you as the sender of this article.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Comparative genomics of the major parasitic worms
(Your Name) has forwarded a page to you from bioRxiv
(Your Name) thought you would like to see this page from the bioRxiv website.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Share
Comparative genomics of the major parasitic worms
International Helminth Genomes Consortium
bioRxiv 236539; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/236539
Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo Facebook logo Google logo LinkedIn logo Mendeley logo
Citation Tools
Comparative genomics of the major parasitic worms
International Helminth Genomes Consortium
bioRxiv 236539; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/236539

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Subject Area

  • Genomics
Subject Areas
All Articles
  • Animal Behavior and Cognition (4076)
  • Biochemistry (8748)
  • Bioengineering (6466)
  • Bioinformatics (23308)
  • Biophysics (11709)
  • Cancer Biology (9131)
  • Cell Biology (13224)
  • Clinical Trials (138)
  • Developmental Biology (7402)
  • Ecology (11357)
  • Epidemiology (2066)
  • Evolutionary Biology (15074)
  • Genetics (10390)
  • Genomics (13996)
  • Immunology (9106)
  • Microbiology (22013)
  • Molecular Biology (8765)
  • Neuroscience (47299)
  • Paleontology (350)
  • Pathology (1418)
  • Pharmacology and Toxicology (2480)
  • Physiology (3701)
  • Plant Biology (8041)
  • Scientific Communication and Education (1427)
  • Synthetic Biology (2206)
  • Systems Biology (6007)
  • Zoology (1246)