The genome of the thin-necked bladder worm Taenia hydatigena reveals evolutionary strategies for helminth survival

• DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02536-w
• Publication Date: 2021-08-24T10:07:16Z
• Authors: Shuai Wang; Xiaolin Liu; Zhongli Liu; Yugui Wang; Aijiang Guo; Wanlong Huang; Qianhao Wang; Shaohua Zhang; Guan Zhu; Xuenong Luo; Xing-quan Zhu; Xuepeng Cai
• Keywords: Taenia hydatigena; QH301-705.5; Longevity; 0206 medical engineering; Evolutionary biology; 02 engineering and technology; Biological, Epidemiological, and Clinical Aspects of Echinococcosis; Gene; Article; Pathology and Forensic Medicine; Evolution, Molecular; Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology; Helminths; Health Sciences; Taenia solium; Genetics; Animals; Biology (General); RNA Sequencing Data Analysis; Molecular Biology; Biology; Immunology and Microbiology; Genome, Helminth; Genome; Cestode infections; Taenia; Cysticercosis; Giardia; Life Sciences; Biological Evolution; 3. Good health; Epidemiology and Molecular Characterization of Parasitic Diseases; FOS: Biological sciences; Medicine; Parasitology; Zoology

AbstractTaenia hydatigena is a widespread gastrointestinal helminth that causes significant health problems in livestock industry. This parasite can survive in a remarkably wide range of intermediate hosts and affects the transmission dynamics of zoonotic parasites. T. hydatigena is therefore of particular interest to researchers interested in studying zoonotic diseases and the evolutionary strategies of parasites. Herein we report a high-quality draft genome for this tapeworm, characterized by some hallmarks (e.g., expanded genome size, wide integrations of viral-like sequences and extensive alternative splicing during development), and specialized adaptations related to its parasitic fitness (e.g., adaptive evolutions for teguments and lipid metabolism). Importantly, in contrast with the evolutionarily close trematodes, which achieve gene diversification associated with immunosuppression by gene family expansions, in T. hydatigena and other cestodes, this is accomplished by alternative splicing and gene loss. This indicates that these two classes have evolved different mechanisms for survival. In addition, molecular targets for diagnosis and intervention were identified to facilitate the development of control interventions. Overall, this work uncovers new strategies by which helminths evolved to interact with their hosts.