ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses progress toward understanding the genomes, transcriptomes, and proteomes of eimerian parasites. Eimeria contain distinct nuclear, apicoplast, and mitochondrial genomes. The nuclear genome occurs as a single haploid copy per cell throughout much of the eimerian life cycle except for the fertilized zygote and unsporulated oocyst, which are diploid. The Eimeria genome assemblies have enabled comparative transcriptomic studies exploring variation among parasite life-cycle stages, among strains or lines of parasites, and examination of changes in host-parasite gene expression during infection. Proteomic studies of Eimeria species can be divided into three broad categories: those that focus on specific parasite compartments or organelles, those that compare different life-cycle stages, and those that assess host-parasite interactions. Comparison of stage-specific proteomes from parasites with distinct selectable phenotypes, such as drug resistance/susceptibility, has been used to explore the consequences and underpinning molecular mechanisms of anticoccidial effects.
