Perusal of parasitic nematode 'omics in the post-genomic era

Abstract

The advent of high-throughput, next-generation sequencing methods combined with advances in computational biology and bioinformatics have greatly accelerated discovery within biomedical research. This "post-genomics" era has ushered in powerful approaches allowing one to quantify RNA transcript and protein abundance for every gene in the genome - often for multiple conditions. Herein, we chronicle how the post-genomics era has advanced our overall understanding of parasitic nematodes through transcriptomics and proteomics and highlight some of the important advances made in each major nematode clade. We primarily focus on organisms relevant to human health, given that nematode infections significantly impact disability-adjusted life years (DALY) scores within the developing world, but we also discuss organisms of veterinary importance as well as those used as laboratory models. As such, we envision that this review will serve as a comprehensive resource for those seeking a better understanding of basic parasitic nematode biology as well as those interested in targets for vaccination and pharmacological intervention.

Keywords: Genome; Nematode; Parasite; Proteome; Transcriptome.