The crystal structure of acetylcholine-binding protein (AChBP) from the mollusk Lymnaea stagnalis is the established model for the ligand binding domains of the ligand-gated ion channel family, which includes nicotinic acetylcholine, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT3), gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), types A and C, and glycine receptors. Here we present the crystal structure of a remote homolog, AChBP...

The present geographical distribution of Lymnaea columella, as recorded in the National Freshwater Snail Collection, is described and discussed. It appears that L. columella is the most successful colonist of all the freshwater snail species in South Africa, and, together with Bulinus tropicus and Lymnaea natalensis, it forms the most widely distributed freshwater snail species in the region. D...

BACKGROUND Tarebia granifera (Lamarck, 1822) is originally from South-East Asia, but has been introduced and become invasive in many tropical and subtropical parts of the world. In South Africa, T. granifera is rapidly invading an increasing number of coastal lakes and estuaries, often reaching very high population densities and dominating shallow water benthic invertebrate assemblages. An asse...

In some species of self-fertile pulmonate snails, two sexual morphs co-occur in natural populations: regular individuals and aphallic individuals that cannot transmit sperm to other snails. Purely aphallic populations therefore reproduce obligatorily by selfing. Understanding the evolution of aphally and selfing in these snails requires a precise knowledge of phally determination. In this paper...

The effect of sublethal concentrations of the antihelminthic plant derivative, dihydroartemisinin methyl ether (Artemether) on the infectivity of the larval stages of Schistosoma haematobium to Bulinus truncatus and to hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) and certain physiological parameters of B. truncatus snails was studied. The results obtained showed infectivity of B. truncatus to infection with ...

BACKGROUND Programs for schistosomiasis control are advancing worldwide, with many benefits noted in terms of disease reduction. Yet risk of reinfection and recurrent disease remain, even in areas with high treatment coverage. In the search for means to better prevent new Schistosoma infections, attention has returned to an older strategy for transmission control, i.e., chemical mollusciciding,...