Characterization of one typical 2-Cys peroxiredoxin gene of Taenia solium and Taenia crassiceps.

The Taenia genus is capable of living for long periods within its hosts. Reports have shown that this successful establishment is related to its efficient defense mechanisms against host immune response and its high tolerance to oxidative stress. In this work, we describe the genomic sequences of one Taenia solium and Taenia crassiceps typical 2-Cys peroxiredoxins (Ts2-CysPrx, Tc2-CysPrx) genes, which are 94% identical in primary sequence with the typical 2-Cys Prxs catalytic motifs. Both genes have the same genomic architecture, showing a TATA box and Initiator (Inr) sequence in their proximal promoter, two exons split by a 67-bp type III intron and one unique transcription start site located inside the Inr. We show that T. crassiceps cysticerci are highly tolerant to H(2)O(2) presenting a lethal concentration 50 of 3.0 mM and demonstrate that the typical Tc2-CysPrx gene is not induced by H(2)O(2), showing a behavior of an antioxidant housekeeping gene. This study describes for first time the gene structure of a typical 2-Cys Prx in the Taenia genus.