Abstract
Venom allergen-like (VAL) proteins, members of the SCP/TAPS (sperm coating protein/Tpx-1/Ag5/PR-1/Sc7) protein superfamily, have been reported from several parasitic helminths. As little is known about their biological functions, a VAL protein of the Chinese liver fluke Clonorchis sinensis was cloned and characterized. A complementary DNA (cDNA) encoding a 25-kDa protein was identified from an EST database of C. sinensis. A BLAST search revealed that the protein shares 46 % sequence identity with Schistosoma mansoni VAL 13 protein, and thus, the protein was named CsVAL13. Multiple sequence alignment indicated that the SCP/TAPS domain of CsVAL13 shares 39–46 % sequence identity with VAL proteins from parasitic helminths. His and Tyr, which help to stabilize protein structure, were highly conserved across the VAL protein sequences. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the SCP/TAPS domain of the CsVAL13 sequence clusters together with other group 2 VAL protein sequences. In the homology-modeled structure of CsVAL13, an α-β-α sandwich and residues for a putative active site were highly conserved. Immune sera were obtained from BALB/c mice immunized with the recombinant CsVAL13 protein. Immunohistochemical localization using the immune sera revealed that CsVAL13 was distributed mainly in the tegument and intrauterine eggs of adult C. sinensis. These findings suggest that CsVAL13 may be involved in host-parasite interactions and immune stimulation on the surrounding host environments.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Bian M, Li S, Wang X, Xu Y, Chen W, Zhou C, Chen X, He L, Xu J, Liang C, Wu Z, Huang Y, Li X, Yu X (2014) Identification, immunolocalization, and immunological characterization of nitric oxide synthase-interacting protein from Clonorchis sinensis. Parasitol Res 113:1749–1757
Bouvard V, Baan R, Straif K, Grosse Y, Secretan B, El Ghissassi F, Benbrahim-Tallaa L, Guha N, Freeman C, Galichet L, Cogliano V, WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer Monograph Working Group (2009) A review of human carcinogens—part B: biological agents. Lancet Oncol 10:321–322
Bower MA, Constant SL, Mendez S (2008) Necator americanus: the Na-ASP-2 protein secreted by the infective larvae induces neutrophil recruitment in vivo and in vitro. Exp Parasitol 118:569–575
Britos L, Lalanne AI, Castillo E, Cota G, Señorale M, Marín M (2007) Mesocestoides corti (syn. vogae, cestoda): characterization of genes encoding cysteine-rich secreted proteins (CRISP). Exp Parasitol 116:95–102
Cantacessi C, Campbell BE, Visser A, Geldhof P, Nolan MJ, Nisbet AJ, Matthews JB, Loukas A, Hofmann A, Otranto D, Sternberg PW, Gasser RB (2009) A portrait of the “SCP/TAPS” proteins of eukaryotes—developing a framework for fundamental research and biotechnological outcomes. Biotechnol Adv 27:376–388
Chalmers IW, Hoffmann KF (2012) Platyhelminth venom allergen-like (VAL) proteins: revealing structural diversity, class-specific features and biological associations across the phylum. Parasitology 139:1231–1245
Chalmers IW, McArdle AJ, Coulson RM, Wagner MA, Schmid R, Hirai H, Hoffmann KF (2008) Developmentally regulated expression, alternative splicing and distinct sub-groupings in members of the Schistosoma mansoni venom allergen-like (SmVAL) gene family. BMC Genomics 9:89
Chen J, Hu X, He S, Wang L, Hu D, Wang X, Zheng M, Yang Y, Liang C, Xu J, Yu X (2010) Expression and immune response analysis of Schistosoma japonicum VAL-1, a homologue of vespid venom allergens. Parasitol Res 106:1413–1418
Del Valle A, Jones BF, Harrison LM, Chadderdon RC, Cappello M (2003) Isolation and molecular cloning of a secreted hookworm platelet inhibitor from adult Ancylostoma caninum. Mol Biochem Parasitol 129:167–177
Fernández C, Szyperski T, Bruyère T, Ramage P, Mösinger E, Wüthrich K (1997) NMR solution structure of the pathogenesis-related protein P14a. J Mol Biol 266:576–593
Jeong YI, Kim YJ, Ju JW, Hong SH, Lee MR, Cho SH, Lee WJ, Lee SE (2014) Identification of anti-allergic effect of Clonorchis sinensis-derived protein venom allergen-like proteins (CsVAL). Biochem Biophys Res Commun 445:549–555
Keiser J, Utzinger J (2004) Chemotherapy for major food-borne trematodes: a review. Expert Opin Pharmacother 5:1711–1726
Rim HJ (2005) Clonorchiasis: an update. J Helminthol 79:269–281
Smout MJ, Laha T, Mulvenna J, Sripa B, Suttiprapa S, Jones A, Brindley PJ, Loukas A (2009) A granulin-like growth factor secreted by the carcinogenic liver fluke, Opisthorchis viverrini, promotes proliferation of host cells. PLoS Pathog 5:e1000611
Smout MJ, Mulvenna JP, Jones MK, Loukas A (2011) Expression, refolding and purification of Ov-GRN-1, a granulin-like growth factor from the carcinogenic liver fluke, that causes proliferation of mammalian host cells. Protein Expr Purif 79:263–270
Tawe W, Pearlman E, Unnasch TR, Lustigman S (2000) Angiogenic activity of Onchocerca volvulus recombinant proteins similar to vespid venom antigen 5. Mol Biochem Parasitol 109:91–99
Yoshino TP, Brown M, Wu XJ, Jackson CJ, Ocadiz-Ruiz R, Chalmers IW, Kolb M, Hokke CH, Hoffmann KF (2014) Excreted/secreted Schistosoma mansoni venom allergen-like 9 (SmVAL9) modulates host extracellular matrix remodelling gene expression. Int J Parasitol 44:551–563
Acknowledgments
This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (2011-0012166).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Hea Sun Woo and Tae Yun Kim contributed equally to this work.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Woo, H.S., Kim, T.Y., Sohn, WM. et al. A tegument-specific venom allergen-like protein of Clonorchis sinensis . Parasitol Res 114, 329–333 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-014-4212-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-014-4212-2