Review Article Recent advances in Schistosoma genomics M. M. MOURffiO, 1 C. GRUNAU, 2 P. T. LO VERDE 3 , M. K. JONES 4 & G. OLIVEIRA 1 1 Genomics and Computational Biology Group, Instituto Nacional de CiÞncia e Tecnologia em DoenÅas Tropicais, Centro de Pesquisas RenØ Rachou, Fundażo Oswaldo Cruz – FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil, 2 Laboratoire Ecologie et Evolution des Interactions (2EI), UMR 5244 CNRS – UniversitØ de Perpignan Via Domitia, Perpignan Cedex, France, 3 Departments of Biochemistry and Pathology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA, 4 School of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Queensland, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Herston, Qld, Australia SUMMARY Schistosome research has entered the genomic era with the publications reporting the Schistosoma mansoni and Schis- tosoma japonicum genomes. Schistosome genomics is moti- vated by the need for new control tools. However, much can also be learned about the biology of Schistosoma, which is a tractable experimental model. In this article, we review the recent achievements in the field of schistosome research and discuss future perspectives on genomics and how it can be integrated in a usable format, on the genetic mapping and how it has improved the genome assembly and provided new research approaches, on how epigenetics provides interesting insights into the biology of the species and on new func- tional genomics tools that will contribute to the understand- ing of the function of genes, many of which are parasite- or taxon specific. Keywords disease, epigenetics, functional genomics, genomics, parasite, Schistosoma spp, schistosomiasis INTRODUCTION Recent advances in structural and functional genomics and proteomics have revolutionized biology. The ‘omics’ fields in parasitology have been slower to develop than they have been in other areas of biology. Nevertheless, the application of these technologies, together with powerful computational methods for the studies of parasites, has accelerated in the last decade, broadening our understand- ing of a diverse assemblage of organisms that otherwise have little in common except their choice of other organ- isms as their habitation. These technologies have aided understanding of not only the parasites, but also their interactions and interrelationships with other organisms. Concerted efforts from consortia of researchers have led to the publications of the genomes of the agents of two species of schistosomes, together with detailed proteomes of tissues, secretions and life cycle stages. Here, we review recent advances in schistosomes research arising from the genomics revolutions and discuss future perspectives. The Schistosoma genome initiative commenced in 1994, as a project of WHO ⁄ TDR (UNICEF-UNDO World Bank-WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases) (1). The general aim was to make the genomic data available for the development of new control measures such as vaccines and drugs. The develop- ment of these treatments remains an enormous challenge although many research groups are now taking advantage of the data sets to develop much-needed control tools. The genomes of two agents of the disease, Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma japonicum, have been decoded and were published simultaneously as an initiative of Well- come Trust Sanger Institute (WTSI), The Institute of Genomic Research (TIGR) and collaborators, and The Schistosoma japonicum Genome Sequencing and Func- tional Analysis Consortium (2,3). These publications mark a definitive step into genomic research for these two spe- cies. The genome of a third species, the agent of urinary schistosomiasis, Schistosoma haematobium is, now, about to be released (Colley, in press). Although genomic data for S. mansoni and S. japonicum are not yet complete, cur- rent efforts are focused on refining the genome data, using strategies to improve assemblies, gene models, genome annotation and function. The genomes of these two schistosomes are organized into eight chromosomes, Correspondence: Guilherme Oliveira, Genomics and Computa- tional Biology Group, Instituto Nacional de CiÞncia e Tecnologia em DoenÅas Tropicais, Centro de Pesquisas RenØ Rachou, Fun- dażo Oswaldo Cruz – FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, MG- 30190- 002, Brazil (e-mail: oliveira@cpqrr.fiocruz.br). Disclosures: None. Received: 29 July 2011 Accepted for publication: 17 November 2011 Parasite Immunology, 2012, 34, 151–162 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3024.2011.01349.x Ó 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd 151