The protein pheromone temptin is an attractant of the gastropod Biomphalaria glabrata
The freshwater snail Biomphalaria glabrata has drawn much research interest by virtue of it being one of the intermediate hosts of the parasitic flatworm Schistosoma mansoni, a causative agent of human schistosomiasis. Schistosomiasis is a chronic disease that affects over 260 million people globally, particularly in tropical and sub-tropical regions. One strategy that has been proposed as a way to prevent human infection by the parasite, involves the use of pheromone traps to lure the snail host away from areas of human activity. This requires an understanding of chemosensory communication in B. glabrata, especially of the chemoattractive factors. Although evidence indicates that specific chemical communication takes place, little is known about chemoattractants produced by the snail itself. Here, we report on the functional characterization of an endogenously produced temptin-like protein (BgTemptin) from B. glabrata and demonstrate that recombinant BgTemptin is attractive to this snail. Exposure of B. glabrata to BgTemptin results in 81% (lane maze) and 70% (T-maze) time spent near to the BgTemptin source. This effect, which is dependent on the concentration of the protein, provides another tool that can be further developed and used in efforts to control and eliminate schistosomiasis.