foxA RNAi RNA-seq in adult males and females of Schistosoma mansoni

Schistosome foxA is enriched in the parasites' stem/progenitor cells and the esophageal gland, an anterior digestive organ required for their survival. However, the molecular makeup of the esophageal gland remains unclear. Here, we took a comparative transcriptomics approach using foxA knockdown adult parasites. Differential expression analysis reveals 37 genes commonly downregulated in foxA knockdown males and females, most of which show high enrichment in the esophageal gland. Adult (between 5 and 7 weeks post-infection) S. mansoni parasites were cultured in vitro for 2 weeks, during which they were treated with dsRNA against foxA (Smp_331700) 6 times at D1, D2, D3, D6, D9, and D12. Male and female worms were separated collected in different tubes. Each batch had ~20 worms. Three batches per knockdown per sex were collected.