The identification, expression profile, and preliminary characterization of Tsunagi protein from Schistosoma japonicum

Tsunagi is an evolutionarily conserved protein, which is required for germ line differentiation during the development of Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans. In this paper, we describe a homologue of the Tsunagi protein from Schistosoma japonicum (SjTsunagi). The gene for this protein was isolated from S. japonicum using degenerate and anchored polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the deduced protein has sequence homology and similarity to Tsunagi protein of other species, including C. elegans, D. melanogaster, Xenopus laevis, Mus musculus, and human. Amino acid sequence analysis showed the presence of a conserved RNA recognition motif. The predicted protein encoded by SjTsunagi gene is 177 amino acids in length with an estimated molecular mass of 20 kD. Immunoblot and reverse transcription-PCR analysis confirms SjTsunagi protein is expressed in eggs, cercariae, schistosomula, and adult female and adult male parasites. Pull-down and co-immunoprecipitation assay confirms that protein of SjTsunagi can interact with SjMago nashi in vitro. Taken together, this is the first report of the expression and preliminary characterization analysis of the SjTsunagi gene from S. japonicum.