Updated project metadata.
Schistosomiasis, caused by infection with Schistosoma trematode parasites, is one of the deadliest neglected tropical diseases in the world. The Schistosoma lifecycle involves the miracidia infection of an intermediate molluscan host, such as Biomphalaria glabrata. Dispersing B. glabrata attractant chemicals has been considered a method of minimising host infections. The attractiveness of B. glabrata is known to be reduced following infection; however, it remained unclear how the duration of infection affects attractiveness. Identifying excretory-secretory proteins (ESPs) abundant in attractive snail conditioned water (SCW) may facilitate the identification of attractants. This study obtained SCW ESPs from naïve snails and at different time-points post-miracidia exposure (PME; 16h-, 1 week, 2 weeks and 3 weeks), to identify those ESPs mediating Schistosome mansoni miracidia behavioural changes. The ESPs were quantitatively identified from all SCW samples using a label-free proteomic method and genome-derived protein databases of B. glabrata and S. mansoni. We found that changes in miracidia behaviour were similar upon exposure to naïve and 3W-PME SCW, including increased circling and quantity of miracidia in the field of view. Of the ESPs identified, 21 were shared in SCW of naïve and 3W-PME, and considered attractant candidates, including acetylcholine-binding protein and immune-related proteins such as biomphalysins and thioester-containing protein 1. Some biological processes were exclusive to attractant candidates, including obsolete pathogenesis and transmembrane transport activity. This suggests that compromised production of these proteins may diminish host attractiveness to miracidia. Additionally, several immune proteins were identified exclusively at 16-PME and 1W-PME, providing further information into changing B. glabrata immune responses throughout infection. These findings provide a list of attractant candidates to potentially decrease B. glabrata infection and minimise schistosomiasis.