Abstract
BackgroundLipids play essential structural and functional roles in the biology of animals. Studying the composition and abundance of lipids in parasites should assist in gaining a better understanding of their molecular biology, biochemistry and host-parasite interactions.MethodsHere, we used a combination of high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometric analyses, combined with bioinformatics, to explore the lipid composition and abundance in the reproductive (Rt) and alimentary (At) tracts of Haemonchus contortus.ResultsWe identified and quantified 320 unique lipid species representing four categories: glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids and steroid lipids. Glycerolipids (i.e. triradylglycerols) and glycerophospholipids (i.e. glycerophosphocholines) were the most commonly and abundant lipid classes identified and were significantly enriched in Rt and At, respectively. We propose that select parasite-derived lipids in Rt and At of adult female H. contortus are required as an energy source (i.e. triradylglycerol) or are involved in phospholipid biosynthesis (i.e. incorporated fatty acids) and host-parasite interactions (i.e. phospholipids and lysophospholipids).ConclusionsThis work provides a first foundation to explore lipids at the organ-specific and tissue-specific levels in nematodes, and to start to unravel aspects of lipid transport, synthesis and metabolism, with a perspective on discovering new intervention targets.
Highlights
Lipids play essential structural and functional roles in the biology of animals
Using a high throughput LC-mass spectrometric (MS)/MS approach, we characterised the lipidome of different developmental stages and both sexes of H. contortus, and showed a substantial down-regulation of energy storage-related lipids, i.e. triradylglycerols (TG), during the transition from free-living to parasitic stages, suggesting critical and specific adaptations of the nematode during its life-cycle [11]
Considering the high abundance of total TG in eggs released by H. contortus, we proposed that immature eggs in the uterus represent a major proportion of TG in female worms
Summary
Lipids play essential structural and functional roles in the biology of animals. Studying the composition and abundance of lipids in parasites should assist in gaining a better understanding of their molecular biology, biochemistry and host-parasite interactions. Studies are providing new and exciting insights into essential biological processes in key developmental stages of H. contortus, and are paving a way to identifying potential intervention targets, such as the bile acid-like hormone signalling receptors and cholesterol transporters Using a high throughput LC-MS/MS approach, we characterised the lipidome of different developmental stages and both sexes of H. contortus, and showed a substantial down-regulation of energy storage-related lipids, i.e. triradylglycerols (TG), during the transition from free-living to parasitic stages, suggesting critical and specific adaptations of the nematode (e.g. shifting or switching of nutrient acquisition) during its life-cycle [11]. Extending previous work [15], we undertook the present study to gain a deeper insight into lipid composition and abundance in the reproductive and alimentary systems of the adult female of H. contortus
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