Identification and Functional Analysis of Differentially Expressed Genes of Ascaris suum Goeze, 1782 from Ascaris lumbricoides Linnaeus, 1758

In order to provide further evidence to prove that Ascaris suum Goeze, 1782 and Ascaris lumbricoides Linnaeus, 1758 are really different species in taxonomy, and to identity A. suum larval migrans-related genes for diagnosis and prevention use, A. suum genes that were differentialy expressed from the same gender of A. lumbricoides were enriched by subtracting the same expressed genes using suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) assay. Specificity of the selectively enriched cDNA was verified by Southern blot analysis. The female A. suum specific cDNA library was then constructed and sequenced. Basic local alignment search tool (BLAST) analysis of female A. suum specific cDNA identified 6 specific ESTs with tentative functions related to larva migrans. This study provided further evidence for differentiating A. suum from A. lumbricoides. Mining for the detailed information and application of the 6 ESTs are worth being done in the future studies.