Schistosoma mansoni: stage-specific expression of muscle-specific genes.

It was previously shown that an antigen preparation termed 9B obtained from Schistosoma mansoni cercarial extracts partially (34%) protects mice from challenge infection with cercariae (R. Tarrab-Hazdai et al., J. Immunol. 135, 2772, 1985). To characterize some of the proteins which comprise this preparation, rabbit antibodies to the 9B antigen preparation were used to screen cDNA libraries of cercariae and adult worms. We isolated and sequenced cDNA clones encoding three proteins: calcium-binding protein, paramyosin, and myosin. The calcium-binding protein was previously shown to be expressed in cercariae but not in sporocysts or adult worms (D. Ram et al., Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 34, 167, 1989). Northern blots showed the presence of paramyosin and myosin mRNAs in sporocysts and adult worms but not in cercariae. Antibodies to paramyosin detected the protein in sporocysts and adult worms as well as in cercariae. These findings explain, in part, the protective activity of the 9B antigen preparation against challenge infection.