RNAi knockdown of a putative chitin deacetylase in Caenorhabditis elegans.
Rogers, Meredith C.
2011
- Filarial parasites pose a major problem to the developing world, yet treatments for infections by parasitic nematodes are limited, and not always effective. Recent studies have shown that drug resistance is emerging, which emphasizes the gap that needs to be filled by a new treatment option. Chitin metabolism in the nematode is an appealing target for new drugs, as this process is not shared by ... read moremammalian hosts. Chitin deacetylase (CDA), which converts chitin into chitosan, is present in the pharynx of the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, a model organism for parasitic worms. Here, we examine the RNAi knockdown of one putative chitin deacetylase gene, F48E3.8. RNAi experiments show that this knockdown is associated with reductions in brood size, and may also cause developmental delays. We also attempted to visualize the morphology associated with CDA knockdown using eosin Y, a specific stain for chitosan. Though further knockdown experiments and imaging remain to be completed, F48E3.8 may represent an important step in the development of C. elegans, and its homologue in parasites may be a potential drug target as well.read less
- ID:
- 0v838b215
- Component ID:
- tufts:UA005.010.063.00001
- To Cite:
- TARC Citation Guide EndNote
