| description |
Rumen flukes are socio-economically important parasitic flatworms (Platyhelminthes: Trematoda: Digenea) that attack livestock adversely thereby affecting their productivity. Despite its socioeconomic impact, almost nothing is known about the molecular biology of this parasite, its interplay with its hosts, and the molecular pathogenesis of Paramphistomosis. Recent advances in genomics and bioinformatics provide unique opportunities to gain improved insights into the biology of parasites as well as their relationships with their hosts at the molecular level. The present study reports the first transcriptome representing the adult stage of Paramphistomum cervi, defined using a massively parallel sequencing-coupled bioinformatics approach. Relative levels of transcription were determined for individual molecules, which were also characterized (at the inferred amino acid level) based on homology, gene ontology and pathway mapping. These findings are expected to provide new insights into the pathophysiology of P. cervi and for the development of improved interventions for disease control and will facilitate a more fundamental understanding of Paramphistomes biology, evolution and the host-parasite interplay. |