cDNA cloning and expression patterns of a peroxiredoxin, a catalase and a glutathione peroxidase from Haemonchus contortus

The range of antioxidant enzyme systems available to Haemonchus contortus for detoxification of hydrogen peroxide was investigated using cDNA cloning of candidate genes. PCR with primers based on conserved amino acid regions and spliced leader sequences was used to obtain full-length sequences for a 2-Cys peroxiredoxin, a catalase, and a selenium-independent glutathione peroxidase, indicating that H. contortus expresses a number of antioxidant systems with the potential to detoxify peroxide (nucleotide sequence data reported in this paper are available in the GenBank, EMBL and DDBJ databases under the accession numbers AY603335, AY603336 and AY603337). Quantitative PCR analysis comparing L3-stage larvae with adult worms showed significantly elevated peroxiredoxin levels in adults, equivalent catalase levels in the two stages, and significantly less glutathione peroxidase in adults, suggesting a significant role for peroxiredoxin in allowing the nematode to detoxify hydrogen peroxide encountered in the parasitic environment. Exposure of L4-stage worms to hydrogen peroxide in vitro (generated using glucose/glucose oxidase) caused no change in mRNA levels for each of the genes, though the exposed worms showed up to eightfold higher catalase activities. The lack of mRNA changes alongside increased catalase enzyme activity indicates that transcript level was not predictive of enzyme activity, suggesting that activity may be regulated in response to oxidative stress by a mechanism other than increased transcription.