A single-cell RNA-seq atlas of identifies a key regulator of blood feeding.
George Wendt, Lu Zhao, Rui Chen, Chenxi Liu, Anthony J O'Donoghue, Conor R Caffrey, Michael L Reese, James J Collins
Author Information
George Wendt: Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA. ORCID
Lu Zhao: Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA. ORCID
Rui Chen: Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA. ORCID
Chenxi Liu: Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093, USA. ORCID
Anthony J O'Donoghue: Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093, USA. ORCID
Conor R Caffrey: Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
Michael L Reese: Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA. ORCID
James J Collins: Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA. jamesj.collins@utsouthwestern.edu. ORCID
Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease that infects 240 million people. With no vaccines and only one drug available, new therapeutic targets are needed. The causative agents, schistosomes, are intravascular flatworm parasites that feed on blood and lay eggs, resulting in pathology. The function of the parasite's various tissues in successful parasitism are poorly understood, hindering identification of therapeutic targets. Using single-cell RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), we characterize 43,642 cells from the adult schistosome and identify 68 distinct cell populations, including specialized stem cells that maintain the parasite's blood-digesting gut. These stem cells express the gene , which is required for gut maintenance, blood feeding, and pathology in vivo. Together, these data provide molecular insights into the organ systems of this important pathogen and identify potential therapeutic targets.
