Abstract：
Hookworm infection is a major public health problem in many regions of the world. Given the high levels of host morbidity and even mortality of the host caused by these infections, it is crucial to understand the genetic structure of hookworm populations. This understanding can provide insights into the ecology, transmission patterns, mechanisms of drug resistance, and the development of vaccines and immunotherapeutic strategies. Previously, we examined presumably neutral molecular markers, such as microsatellites and COI (Cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1) in Brazilian populations of Ancylostoma caninum. Here we analyze the molecular variability of a genomic fragment of the Aca-asp-2 (Ancylostoma secreted protein-2) gene from Ancylostoma caninum. This gene is a highly expressed and activated following the infection of the L3 larvae in the host. We obtained individuals of A. caninum from five different geographic locations in Brazil, sequenced and analyzed parts of the gene. The results revealed extensive polymorphism at this fragment, especially in the intronic region, indicating low selective pressure acting on these sequences. However, we also observed irregular distributions of nucleotides and polymorphisms in the coding region of this gene, resulting in the identification of 27 alleles. The data presented here contribute to expanding the understanding of population genetic studies of hookworms.
摘要：
钩虫感染是世界上许多地区的主要公共卫生问题。鉴于这些感染引起的宿主发病率高，甚至宿主死亡率高，了解钩虫种群的遗传结构至关重要。这种理解可以提供对生态学的见解，传输模式，耐药机制，以及疫苗和免疫治疗策略的开发。以前,我们检查了中性分子标记，例如巴西Ancylostomacaninum的微卫星和COI（细胞色素C氧化酶亚基1）。在这里，我们分析了来自犬Ancylostoma的Aca-asp-2（Ancylostoma分泌蛋白2）基因的基因组片段的分子变异性。该基因在宿主中感染L3幼虫后高度表达和激活。我们从巴西五个不同的地理位置获得了A.caninum的个体，对部分基因进行测序和分析。结果显示该片段具有广泛的多态性，特别是在内含子区域，表明作用在这些序列上的低选择压力。然而,我们还观察到该基因编码区核苷酸和多态性的不规则分布，从而鉴定出27个等位基因。此处提供的数据有助于扩大对钩虫种群遗传研究的理解。关键词：分子流行病学;群体遗传学;钩虫;钩虫;钩虫分泌蛋白-2;蠕虫.
