Participating Faculty
Doug Jasmer

Professor
Veterinary Microbiology & Pathology
Washington State University
Pullman, WA 99164-7040

Ph.D., 1983
Washington State University

Phone: 509-335-6040
Fax: 509-335-8529
Email: djasmer@vetmed.wsu.edu

 

Research Interests:
Host/Parasite Interactions & Parasite Biology

Research Summary:
Research in my laboratory has been focused on three parasite systems, each involving molecular and cellular aspects of host/parasite interactions and parasite biology. The systems include: Trichinella spiralis/skeletal muscle cell interactions; Haemonchus contortus as a model system investigating the nematode intestine as a target for control; and Babesia bovis in relation to immune control and parasite/host erythrocyte interactions. The T. spiralis and H. contortus programs represent new research areas in the Department that were developed in my laboratory and in conjunction with Departmental collaborators. These two areas represent the current focus of my research. The T. spiralis research showed that infection by this parasite induces cell cycle repositioning (chronic suspension in G2) and genetic reprogramming of mammalian skeletal muscle cells. A major goal of the current research is to elucidate parasite proteins and molecular mechanisms responsible for these effects. The H. contortus research has highlighted the parasite intestine as a valuable target for control by immunity and chemotherapy. Current research is in part aimed at developing basic methods and reagents that will facilitate prospective research on this tissue at the molecular and cellular levels. Additionally, identifying cellular processes in this tissue that are critical to parasite survival is a goal of the reasearch. Using benzimidazole anthelmintics as a tool, cellular processes were identified that induce disintegration and apoptosis-like process in the nematode intestine. The established research system is being used to elucidate mechanisms responsible for these lethal effects. We and others have shown that intestinal antigens induce highly significant immunity to infection by this parasite. Numerous antigen genes have been cloned from this tissue that are associated with protective immune responses. A long-term goal is to develop expression systems that allow large-scale production of recombinant intestinal antigens capable of stimulating immunity.

A second area of research is on the gastrointestinal nematode parasite, Haemonchus contortus. This nematode parasitizes small ruminants and is an important model for research on control of parasitic nematodes in animals and humans. Our research is focused on the intestine of this parasite as it applies to basic parasite biology and immune control of parasitic nematodes. Protein antigens that are expressed by the parasite intestine are vaccine candidates for immune control of the parasite. Identification of additional prospective vaccine candidates, especially secreted and membrane proteins, is an ongoing process. The research has capitalized on bioinformatic approaches, e.g. expressed sequence tag databases for intestinal cDNAs. This database coupled with proteomic approaches may be useful to define parasite intestinal antigens that we have discovered at the host mucosal surface.

Representative Publications:

Rehman A and Jasmer DP. 1999. Defined characteristics of cathepsin B-like proteins from nematodes: inferred functional diversity and phylogenetic relatedness. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, 102:297-310.

Reuf BJ, Dowling SC, Conley PG, Perryman LE, Brown WC, Jasmer DP and Rice-Ficht AC. 2000. A unique Babesia bovis spherical body protein is conserved among geographic isolates and localizes to the infected erythrocyte membrane. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, 105:1-12.

Jasmer DP, Yao C, Rehman A and Johnson S. 2000. Multiple lethal effects induced by a benzimidazole anthelmintic in the anterior intestine of the nematode Haemonchus contortus. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, 105:81-90.

Shompole, S., Jasmer, DP. 2001. Cathepsin B-like cysteine proteases confer intestinal cysteine protease activity in Haemonchus contortus. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 276:2928-2934.

Jasmer DP, Roth J and Myler PJ. 2001. Cathepsin B-like cysteine proteases and Caenorhabditis elegans homologues dominate gene products expressed in adult Haemonchus contortus intestine. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology 116:159-169.

Yao C and Jasmer DP. 2001. Trichinella spiralis infected muscle cells: high levels of RNA polymerase II in nuclear speckle domains and depletion by mebendazole treatment. Infection and Immunity 69:4065-4071.

Jasmer DP and Kwak. (2005) Fusion and differentiation of skeletal muscle cells that express the Trichinella spiralis p43 protein. Experimental Parasitology, 2006 Feb; 122(2)67-75. Epub 2005 Dec 5.

Mitreva M, Appleton J, McCarter JP, Jasmer DP. (2005) Expressed sequence tags from life cycle stages of Trichinella spiralis: application to biology and parasite control. Vet Parasitol. 132(1-2):13-7. Review.