@article{66c6343df8cb4160a48ed65ca1ccbdd6,
title = "Genome of the human hookworm Necator americanus",
abstract = "The hookworm Necator americanus is the predominant soil-transmitted human parasite. Adult worms feed on blood in the small intestine, causing iron-deficiency anemia, malnutrition, growth and development stunting in children, and severe morbidity and mortality during pregnancy in women. We report sequencing and assembly of the N. americanus genome (244 Mb, 19,151 genes). Characterization of this first hookworm genome sequence identified genes orchestrating the hookworm's invasion of the human host, genes involved in blood feeding and development, and genes encoding proteins that represent new potential drug targets against hookworms. N. americanus has undergone a considerable and unique expansion of immunomodulator proteins, some of which we highlight as potential treatments against inflammatory diseases. We also used a protein microarray to demonstrate a postgenomic application of the hookworm genome sequence. This genome provides an invaluable resource to boost ongoing efforts toward fundamental and applied postgenomic research, including the development of new methods to control hookworm and human immunological diseases.",
author = "Tang, {Yat T.} and Xin Gao and Rosa, {Bruce A.} and Sahar Abubucker and Kymberlie Hallsworth-Pepin and John Martin and Rahul Tyagi and Esley Heizer and Xu Zhang and Veena Bhonagiri-Palsikar and Patrick Minx and Warren, {Wesley C.} and Qi Wang and Bin Zhan and Hotez, {Peter J.} and Sternberg, {Paul W.} and Annette Dougall and Gaze, {Soraya Torres} and Jason Mulvenna and Javier Sotillo and Shoba Ranganathan and Rabelo, {Elida M.} and Wilson, {Richard K.} and Felgner, {Philip L.} and Jeffrey Bethony and Hawdon, {John M.} and Gasser, {Robin B.} and Alex Loukas and Makedonka Mitreva",
note = "Funding Information: We thank the faculty and staff of the Genome Institute at Washington University and the Protein Microarray Laboratory at the University of California–Irvine (U54AI065359) who contributed to this study. The genome sequencing and annotation work was funded by US National Institutes of Health (NIH)–National Human Genome Research Institute grant U54HG003079 to R.K.W. Comparative genome analysis was funded by grants NIH–National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases AI081803 and NIH–National Institute of General Medical Sciences GM097435 to M.M. Funds from the Australian Research Council and Australia{\textquoteright}s National Health and Medical Research Council to R.B.G. are gratefully acknowledged. P.W.S. is an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. We thank the faculty and staff of The Genome Institute at Washington University who contributed to this study.",
year = "2014",
month = mar,
doi = "10.1038/ng.2875",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "46",
pages = "261--269",
journal = "Nature Genetics",
issn = "1061-4036",
publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",
number = "3",
}