: Interactions between schistosomes and their snail hosts play an important role in the evolutionary development of host and parasite genetic systems. Gene flow, genetic drift and selection all potentially act on these systems, driving co-evolutionary trajectories and dictating disease dynamics. Assessing the degree and structure of genetic heterogeneity of both hosts and parasites is an essential first step in predicting the epidemiology of infectious diseases. The recent characterization of allelic microsatellite markers for Schistosoma mansoni and Biomphalaria glabrata provides us with an opportunity to study population structure of both parasite and host on a local spatial scale.
Specific aims of this project include: 1) Determining the relative nature of population subdivision for schistosomes and snails based on allelic data from microsatellites, and assessing how that genetic variation changes on both spatial and temporal scales; and 2) Correlating microsatellite allelic heterogeneity with biomarkers for schistosome virulence and snail resistance to assess relationships between genetic variation and phenotypic expressions of epidemiological importance. Knowledge of the distribution of host and parasite genetic diversity within and among individual hosts, and within and among populations, will allow us to estimate parasite gene flow, assess the importance of multiple parasite genotypes on schistosome virulence, and begin to understand the interplay among micro-evolutionary forces that drive disease dynamics. Results will yield evolutionary insights into the epidemiological process, help to identify genetic consequences of control strategies, and complement concurrent immuno-epidemiology studies of humans in endemic Brazilian communities.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AI042768-06
Application #
6899382
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-TMP (99))
Program Officer
Costero, Adriana
Project Start
1999-02-01
Project End
2008-05-31
Budget Start
2005-06-01
Budget End
2006-05-31
Support Year
6
Fiscal Year
2005
Total Cost
$301,132
Indirect Cost
Name
Purdue University
Department
Biology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
072051394
City
West Lafayette
State
IN
Country
United States
Zip Code
47907
Thiele, Elizabeth A; CorrĂȘa-Oliveira, Guilherme; Gazzinelli, Andrea et al. (2013) Elucidating the temporal and spatial dynamics of Biomphalaria glabrata genetic diversity in three Brazilian villages. Trop Med Int Health 18:1164-73
Thiele, Elizabeth A; Minchella, Dennis J (2013) Molecular assessment of trematode co-infection and intraspecific competition in molluscan intermediate hosts. Mol Biochem Parasitol 187:52-9
Jones-Nelson, Omari; Thiele, Elizabeth A; Minchella, Dennis J (2011) Transmission dynamics of two strains of Schistosoma mansoni utilizing novel intermediate and definitive hosts. Parasitol Res 109:675-87
Bos, David H; Mayfield, Chris; Minchella, Dennis J (2009) Analysis of regulatory protease sequences identified through bioinformatic data mining of the Schistosoma mansoni genome. BMC Genomics 10:488
Zavodna, Monika; Sandland, Gregory J; Minchella, Dennis J (2008) Effects of intermediate host genetic background on parasite transmission dynamics: a case study using Schistosoma mansoni. Exp Parasitol 120:57-61
Thiele, E A; Sorensen, R E; Gazzinelli, A et al. (2008) Genetic diversity and population structuring of Schistosoma mansoni in a Brazilian village. Int J Parasitol 38:389-99
Sandland, Gregory J; Rodgers, Jenna K; Minchella, Dennis J (2007) Interspecific antagonism and virulence in hosts exposed to two parasite species. J Invertebr Pathol 96:43-7
Sandland, Gregory J; Foster, Alice V; Zavodna, Monika et al. (2007) Interplay between host genetic variation and parasite transmission in the Biomphalaria glabrata-Schistosoma mansoni system. Parasitol Res 101:1083-9
Sorensen, R E; Rodrigues, N B; Oliveira, G et al. (2006) Genetic filtering and optimal sampling of Schistosoma mansoni populations. Parasitology 133:443-51
Stohler, R A; Curtis, J; Minchella, D J (2004) A comparison of microsatellite polymorphism and heterozygosity among field and laboratory populations of Schistosoma mansoni. Int J Parasitol 34:595-601

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