Infections caused by parasitic nematodes can be difficult to treat due to nematodes changing their outer surface during their life cycle, causing host immune systems to fail to recognize each new surface composition. From the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) it has been determined that the gene srf-6, which controls changes in nematode surface composition, may be identical to a C. elegans MAPKKK gene known as nsy-1. The goal of this project is to identify similar proteins in parasitic nematodes. I used the software package Geneious to compare the C. elegans nsy-1 protein sequence to corresponding proteins in parasitic nematode databases. Because nsy-1/srf-6 may affect surface antigen switching in parasitic nematodes, it is a possible target for anti-nematode therapies.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Grandoni, Maria Jeanne

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-043015-131143

Advisor

• Politz, Samuel M.

Year

• 2015

Date created

• 2015-04-30

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Biochemistry

Rights statement

• In Copyright