Rudi GramsSuksiri Vichasri-GramsPrasert SobhonE. Suchart UpathamVithoon ViyanantThammasat UniversityMahidol UniversityBurapha University2018-09-072018-09-072001-07-12Parasitology International. Vol.50, No.2 (2001), 105-114138357692-s2.0-0034950247https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/26562In this study cDNAs encoding cathepsin L-like proteins of Fasciola gigantica were cloned by the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction method (RT-PCR) from total RNA of adult specimens. DNA sequence analyses revealed that six different cathepsin L cDNA fragments were isolated, which have DNA sequence identities of 87-99% towards the homologous genes from F. hepatica. Gene expression was studied at the RNA level by Northern and RNA in situ hybridizations. Northern analysis showed the cathepsin L genes to be strongly expressed in adult parasites as a group of 1050 nt sized RNAs. RNA in situ hybridization localized cathepsin L RNA to the cecal epithelial cells. Southern hybridization was used to determine the number of cathepsin L genes and indicated the presence of a family of closely related cathepsin L genes in the genome of F. gigantica. Copyright © 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.Mahidol UniversityImmunology and MicrobiologyMedicineArticleSCOPUS10.1016/S1383-5769(01)00068-X