Use of differential display to detect changes in gene expression in the intermediate snail host Biomphalaria glabrata upon infection with Schistosomamansoni

Changes in gene expression in Biomphalaria glabrata following infection wit h Schistosoma mansoni have been investigated using a modified differential display approach. RNA was extracted from ovotestis, mantle tissue and anter ior nephridium of control and exposed snails at 2 time-points (4 h and 24 h ) post-exposure and analysed by RNA fingerprinting. A number of transcripts were identified; some novel and some homologous to mRNAs in GenEMBL that w ere previously unknown in B. glabrata. Down regulation of one 241 bp mRNA e xpressed sequence fragment - with an open reading frame showing 48% identit y to a cytochrome p450 over 80 residues - has been confirmed using semi-qua ntitative RT-PCR. Preliminary classification of B. glabrata cyp450 sequence shows it to fall into CLAN 2 of the cytochrome p450 superfamily. Different ial display has been successful in identifying changes in gene expression i n Biomphalaria glabrata upon infection with Schistosoma mansoni and promise s to be a useful technique for the investigation of the interaction between host and parasite.