A simple and efficient miracidium hatching technique for preparing a single-genome DNA sample of Schistosoma japonicum

In this study, a simple and efficient miracidium hatching technique (MHT) protocol for preparing a single-genome DNA of Schistosoma japonicum was proposed. The protocol was designed with 96-well plates to collect a miracidium for single-genome DNA preparation, and the effects of lighting conditions on hatching rates were evaluated. The highest hatching rate was recorded under sunlight (92.4%), followed by fluorescent light (88.0%), and the lowest rate was recorded under the dark condition (4.7%). The results suggested for the first time, to our knowledge, that sunlight was efficient for this simple MHT protocol. Successful amplification of microsatellite marker genes using DNA isolated from a single miracidium also confirmed the quality of the single-genome DNA for subsequent applications.