Schistosoma mansoni miracidia transformed by particle bombardment infect Biomphalaria glabrata snails and develop into transgenic sporocysts

Miracidia (and adults) of Schistosoma mansoni which had been subjected to particle bombardment with a plasmid DNA encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) under control of the S. mansoni heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) promoter and termination elements were shown to express the reporter gene. Bombarded miracidia were able to penetrate and establish in Biomphalaria glabrata the intermediate host snail. Gold particles could be detected in the germ balls of parasites in paraffin-sections of snail tissue. The bombarded miracidia were able to develop normally and to transform into mother sporocysts. Reporter gene activity could be determined at 10 days post-infection by RT-PCR in snail tissues, but not by microscopy or Western blot which probably reflected sub-optimal expression levels of constructs. Our findings indicated that it is feasible to return transgenic miracidia to the life cycle, a crucial step for the establishment of a transgenesis system for schistosomes. Index Descriptors and Abbreviations: schistosome, miracidium, sporocyst, particle bombardment, gold particles, transgene, Biomphalaria glabrata; germ ball; EGFP, enhanced green fluorescent protein; RT-PCR, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction; gDNA, genomic DNA; PBS, phosphate buffered saline; TBS, Tris buffered saline; FCS, fetal calf serum; DEAE, diethylaminoethyldextran