Warren CE et al. (2000) Glycobiology "Caenorhabditis elegans gly-1, a core 2/I N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase homologue, is a glucosyltransferase."

Partridge EA, Krizus A, Warren CE, Dennis JW

[Glycobiology, 2000]

We recently reported the initial characterisation of a family of 6 C. elegans genes that were homologous to mammalian core 2 N-acetylglucosaminyltransferases (Warren et al, 2001).

Mitreva M et al. (2011) Nat Genet "The draft genome of the parasitic nematode Trichinella spiralis."

Wang Z, Zarlenga DS, Appleton J, Yin Y, Mardis ER, Hallsworth-Pepin K, Fulton L, Taylor CM, Yang SP, Martin J, Clifton SW, Wilson RK, Abubucker S, Bhonagiri V, Zhang X, Fulton RS, Jasmer DP, Warren WC, Mitreva M, Minx P, McCarter JP

[Nat Genet, 2011]

Genome evolution studies for the phylum Nematoda have been limited by focusing on comparisons involving Caenorhabditis elegans. We report a draft genome sequence of Trichinella spiralis, a food-borne zoonotic parasite, which is the most common cause of human trichinellosis. This parasitic nematode is an extant member of a clade that diverged early in the evolution of the phylum, enabling identification of archetypical genes and molecular signatures exclusive to nematodes. We sequenced the 64-Mb nuclear genome, which is estimated to contain 15,808 protein-coding genes, at 35-fold coverage using whole-genome shotgun and hierarchal map-assisted sequencing. Comparative genome analyses support intrachromosomal rearrangements across the phylum, disproportionate numbers of protein family deaths over births in parasitic compared to a non-parasitic nematode and a preponderance of gene-loss and -gain events in nematodes relative to Drosophila melanogaster. This genome sequence and the identified pan-phylum characteristics will contribute to genome evolution studies of Nematoda as well as strategies to combat global parasites of humans, food animals and crops.

Tang YT et al. (2014) Nat Genet "Genome of the human hookworm Necator americanus."

Felgner PL, Wang Q, Rabelo EM, Martin J, Bethony J, Hotez PJ, Zhang X, Sotillo J, Gasser RB, Bhonagiri-Palsikar V, Mulvenna J, Ranganathan S, Minx P, Rosa BA, Loukas A, Mitreva M, Zhan B, Heizer E, Sternberg PW, Hallsworth-Pepin K, Dougall A, Hawdon JM, Warren WC, Tang YT, Gaze ST, Abubucker S, Tyagi R, Wilson RK, Gao X

[Nat Genet, 2014]

The hookworm Necator americanus is the predominant soil-transmitted human parasite. Adult worms feed on blood in the small intestine, causing iron-deficiency anemia, malnutrition, growth and development stunting in children, and severe morbidity and mortality during pregnancy in women. We report sequencing and assembly of the N. americanus genome (244 Mb, 19,151 genes). Characterization of this first hookworm genome sequence identified genes orchestrating the hookworm's invasion of the human host, genes involved in blood feeding and development, and genes encoding proteins that represent new potential drug targets against hookworms. N. americanus has undergone a considerable and unique expansion of immunomodulator proteins, some of which we highlight as potential treatments against inflammatory diseases. We also used a protein microarray to demonstrate a postgenomic application of the hookworm genome sequence. This genome provides an invaluable resource to boost ongoing efforts toward fundamental and applied postgenomic research, including the development of new methods to control hookworm and human immunological diseases.