The Filarial Genome Project

Resource Center

We are pleased to announce that the Filarial Genome Project Resource Center is now up and running with funds provided by the Tropical Disease Research division of the World Health Organization. The Resource Center serves as a repository for cDNA and genomic libraries as well as specific clones identified from these libraries. The Resource Center will also serve as a repository for the gridded libraries on nylon filters when these become available.

Six Brugia cDNA libraries have been constructed in the bacteriophage lambda cloning vector ZAPII representing the following developmental stages: microfilaria, L3, L4, adult male and adult female (see the table below). Unidirectional cloning was chosen to facilitate the use of these libraries in EST analysis. Four of the Brugia cDNA libraries were constructed using conventional techniques in the Williams laboratory and two were constructed using PCR and the SL-1 spliced leader sequence in the laboratory of Alan Scott. Projects are underway to construct cDNA libraries from the other life cycle stages of Brugia (for example, an L2 library and an L3/L4 transition stage cDNA library). In addition to the Brugia cDNA libraries, cDNA libraries from O. volvulus and W. bancrofti are also now available. The Filarial Genome Project Resource Center is located in the laboratory of Dr. Steven A. Williams at Smith College and is most easily contacted via FAX (413-585-3786) or email (genome@smith.edu).

Filarial Nematode Libraries available through the Filarial Genome Project Resource Center

Brugia malayi cDNA Libraries:

• SAW94LS-BmMf Microfilaria conventional cDNA library.
• SAW94WL-BmL3 Infective L3 conventional cDNA library.
• JHU93SL-BmL3 Infective L3 spliced leader cDNA library.
• JHU93SL-BmL4 L4 spliced leader cDNA library.
• SAW94NL-BmAM Adult Male conventional cDNA library.
• SAW96MLW-BmAF Adult Female conventional cDNA library.

Wuchereria bancrofti cDNA Libraries:

• SAW95SjL-WbMf Microfilaria conventional cDNA library.
• JHU94SL-mWb Adult Male spliced leader cDNA library.
• JHU94SL-fWb Adult Female spliced leader cDNA library.

Onchocerca volvulus cDNA and Genomic Libraries:

• SAW94WL-OvL3 Infective L3 conventional cDNA library.
• SAW95WL-OvG Genomic library constructed in lambda ZAP.

Note: all libraries are unidirectional and cloned in lambda ZAPII. Libraries beginning with SAW were constructed in Steve Williams' lab, while libraries beginning with JHU were constructed in Alan Scott's lab. These filarial libraries are made available through the Filarial Genome Project Resource Center (contact the Center by email at genome@smith.edu). Details on the libraries are available on the WWW at http://helios.bto.ed.ac.uk/mbx/fgn/net/librarylist.html (located in Edinburgh, UK at Mark Blaxter's lab) or http://math.smith.edu/~sawlab/fgn/net/librarylist.html (located in the USA at Steven Williams' lab).

For further details on the construction of these libraries, please contact:

Steven A. Williams, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063, USA. FAX: 413 585 3786, TEL: 413 585 3826, EMAIL: genome@smith.edu.

Alan L. Scott, Dept. of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Hygiene and Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. FAX: (410) 955-0105, TEL: (410) 955-3442, EMAIL: ascott@hpcsun01.sph.jhu.edu.