New Delhi, July 12 (UNI) Blood-feeding leeches have a suite of anticoagulant compounds they secrete from their salivary glands that prevent clotting. The knowledge about their anticoagulants can possibly be explored further for uses in modern medicine, according to a recent study.
In the study published in the current issue of the Journal of Parasitology, researchers collected leeches from natural and aquarium settings in the United States and Canada. They examined the physical characteristics of each leech to determine their species, dissected its salivary glands, extracted the RNA and sequenced the genomic material. Next, they identified the salivary gland components by comparing their sequences with those of other leeches and various animals.
The researchers identified the collected leeches as nine species from the Piscicolidae and Ozobranchidae families, which are composed of saltwater species that feed on fish and turtles, respectively. Despite the fact that these leeches have different host preferences, no differences were found in the diversity of anticoagulants.