Discussion

The recent advances in genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and peptidomic technologies have driven significant expansion in parasitic nematode ‘omics data, providing a welcome gateway to the identification of putative drug targets, vaccine candidates, and biomarkers for the control and diagnosis of nematodiasis. In the face of rising multi-drug resistance to nematode parasites, we must harness these recent advances to enhance our basic understanding of parasitic nematode biology that will inform drug discovery pipelines. Whilst the nematode nervous system is a proven drug target, it remains underexploited. Indeed, the neuropeptidergic component is an untapped resource and thus a key focus for novel drug target discovery. This presentation will provide an overview of the progress in application of ‘omics technologies to inform nematode neuropeptide biology and enhance understanding of the complexity of the nematode signalling system. Specifically: (i) Pan-phylum genomic analyses have enabled the identification of neuropeptide-, and neuropeptide-GPCRs, and facilitated the prediction of putative ligand-receptor interactions; (ii) Species-, life- and tissue-specific transcriptomic data have facilitated novel in silico deorphanisation approaches and target prioritization strategies based on spatial and temporal expression of neuropeptide ligands and their putative receptors; and (iii) The novel application of peptidomics tools to the extrasynaptic component of the nematode nervous system has revealed a novel route for neuropeptide signalling in parasitic nematodes. Integration of these multi-omics-derived datasets collectively unravel the complexity of neuropeptide signalling, provide a springboard to better understanding of basic worm biology, and support novel anthelmintic discovery.