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Olanlokun JO, Abiodun OW, Adegbuyi AT, Koorbanally NA, Olorunsogo OO. Mefloquine-curcumin combinations improve host mitochondrial respiration and decrease mitotoxic effects of mefloquine in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice. CURRENT RESEARCH IN PHARMACOLOGY AND DRUG DISCOVERY 2024; 6:100180. [PMID: 38725654 PMCID: PMC11081784 DOI: 10.1016/j.crphar.2024.100180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium infection is a health challenge. Although, antiplasmodial drugs kill the parasites, information on the effects of infection and drugs on the expression of some genes is limited. Malaria was induced in two different studies using NK65 (chloroquine-susceptible, study 1), and ANKA (chloroquine-resistant, study 2) strains of Plasmodium berghei in 30 male Swiss mice (n = 5) in each study. Mice orally received 10 mL/kg distilled water, (infected control), Mefloquine (MF) (10 mg/kg), MF and Curcumin (CM) (25 mg/kg), MF and CM (50 mg/kg), CM (25 mg/kg) and CM (50 mg/kg). Five mice (un-infected) were used as the control. After treatment, total Ribonucleic acid (RNA) was isolated from liver and erythrocytes while Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-free RNA were converted to cDNA. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification was performed and relative expressions of FIKK12, AQP3, P38 MAPK, NADH oxidoreductase, and cytochrome oxidase expressions were determined. Markers of glycolysis, toxicity and antioxidants were determined using ELISA assays. While the expression of FIKK12 was blunted by MF in the susceptible study, co-treatment with curcumin (25 mg/kg) yielded the same results in the chloroquine-resistant study. Similar results were obtained on AQP3 in both studies. Curcumin decreased P38 MAPK in both studies. Plasmodium infection decreased NADH oxidoreductase and cytochrome oxidase but mefloquine-curcumin restored the expression of these genes. While glycolysis and toxicity were inhibited, antioxidant systems improved in the treated groups. Curcumin is needed for effective therapeutic efficacy and prevention of toxicity. Plasmodium infection and treatment modulate the expressions of some genes in the host. Curcumin combination with mefloquine modulates the expression of some genes in the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Oludele Olanlokun
- Laboratories for Biomemebrane Research and Biotechnology, Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Oshireku Wisdom Abiodun
- Laboratories for Biomemebrane Research and Biotechnology, Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | | | - Neil Anthony Koorbanally
- School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, 4000, South Africa
| | - Olufunso Olabode Olorunsogo
- Laboratories for Biomemebrane Research and Biotechnology, Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
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2
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Werelusz P, Galiniak S, Mołoń M. Molecular functions of moonlighting proteins in cell metabolic processes. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2024; 1871:119598. [PMID: 37774631 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2023.119598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Moonlighting proteins have more than one physiologically significant role within one polypeptide chain. The multifunctionality of proteins was first described in 1987 by Joram Piatigorsky and Graeme Wistow. Cells can benefit from involvement of these proteins in biological processes in several ways, e.g. at the energy level. Furthermore, cells have developed a number of mechanisms to change these proteins' functions. Moonlighting proteins are found in all types of organisms, including prokaryotes, eukaryotes, and even viruses. These proteins include a variety of enzymes that serve as receptors, secreted cytokines, transcription factors, or proteasome components. Additionally, there are many combinations of functions, e.g. among receptors and transcription factors, chaperones and cytokines, as well as transcription factors within the ribosome. This work describes enzymes involved in several important metabolic processes in cells, namely cellular respiration, gluconeogenesis, the urea cycle, and pentose phosphate metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sabina Galiniak
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Rzeszów University, Rzeszów, Poland
| | - Mateusz Mołoń
- Institute of Biology, Rzeszów University, Rzeszów, Poland.
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3
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Valleau D, Sidik SM, Godoy LC, Acevedo‐Sánchez Y, Pasaje CFA, Huynh M, Carruthers VB, Niles JC, Lourido S. A conserved complex of microneme proteins mediates rhoptry discharge in Toxoplasma. EMBO J 2023; 42:e113155. [PMID: 37886905 PMCID: PMC10690463 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2022113155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites discharge specialized organelles called rhoptries upon host cell contact to mediate invasion. The events that drive rhoptry discharge are poorly understood, yet essential to sustain the apicomplexan parasitic life cycle. Rhoptry discharge appears to depend on proteins secreted from another set of organelles called micronemes, which vary in function from allowing host cell binding to facilitation of gliding motility. Here we examine the function of the microneme protein CLAMP, which we previously found to be necessary for Toxoplasma gondii host cell invasion, and demonstrate its essential role in rhoptry discharge. CLAMP forms a distinct complex with two other microneme proteins, the invasion-associated SPATR, and a previously uncharacterized protein we name CLAMP-linked invasion protein (CLIP). CLAMP deficiency does not impact parasite adhesion or microneme protein secretion; however, knockdown of any member of the CLAMP complex affects rhoptry discharge. Phylogenetic analysis suggests orthologs of the essential complex components, CLAMP and CLIP, are ubiquitous across apicomplexans. SPATR appears to act as an accessory factor in Toxoplasma, but despite incomplete conservation is also essential for invasion during Plasmodium falciparum blood stages. Together, our results reveal a new protein complex that mediates rhoptry discharge following host-cell contact.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Luiz C Godoy
- Department of Biological EngineeringMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMAUSA
| | | | | | - My‐Hang Huynh
- Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMIUSA
| | - Vern B Carruthers
- Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMIUSA
| | - Jacquin C Niles
- Department of Biological EngineeringMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMAUSA
| | - Sebastian Lourido
- Whitehead InstituteCambridgeMAUSA
- Biology DepartmentMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMAUSA
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Cell Density-Regulated Adhesins Contribute to Early Disease Development and Adhesion in Ralstonia solanacearum. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0156522. [PMID: 36688670 PMCID: PMC9973027 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01565-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Adhesins (adhesive proteins) help bacteria stick to and colonize diverse surfaces and often contribute to virulence. The genome of the bacterial wilt pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum (Rs) encodes dozens of putative adhesins, some of which are upregulated during plant pathogenesis. Little is known about the role of these proteins in bacterial wilt disease. During tomato colonization, three putative Rs adhesin genes were upregulated in a ΔphcA quorum-sensing mutant that cannot respond to high cell densities: radA (Ralstonia adhesin A), rcpA (Ralstonia collagen-like protein A), and rcpB. Based on this differential gene expression, we hypothesized that adhesins repressed by PhcA contribute to early disease stages when Rs experiences a low cell density. During root colonization, Rs upregulated rcpA and rcpB, but not radA, relative to bacteria in the stem at mid-disease. Root attachment assays and confocal microscopy with ΔrcpA/B and ΔradA revealed that all three adhesins help Rs attach to tomato seedling roots. Biofilm assays on abiotic surfaces found that Rs does not require RadA, RcpA, or RcpB for interbacterial attachment (cohesion), but these proteins are essential for anchoring aggregates to a surface (adhesion). However, Rs did not require the adhesins for later disease stages in planta, including colonization of the root endosphere and stems. Interestingly, all three adhesins were essential for full competitive fitness in planta. Together, these infection stage-specific assays identified three proteins that contribute to adhesion and the critical first host-pathogen interaction in bacterial wilt disease. IMPORTANCE Every microbe must balance its need to attach to surfaces with the biological imperative to move and spread. The high-impact plant-pathogenic bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum can stick to biotic and abiotic substrates, presumably using some of the dozens of putative adhesins encoded in its genome. We confirmed the functions and identified the biological roles of multiple afimbrial adhesins. By assaying the competitive fitness and the success of adhesin mutants in three different plant compartments, we identified the specific disease stages and host tissues where three previously cryptic adhesins contribute to success in plants. Combined with tissue-specific regulatory data, this work indicates that R. solanacearum deploys distinct adhesins that help it succeed at different stages of plant pathogenesis.
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A comprehensive ultrastructural analysis of the Toxoplasma gondii cytoskeleton. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:2065-2078. [PMID: 35524789 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07534-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The invasive nature of Toxoplasma gondii is closely related to the properties of its cytoskeleton, which is constituted by a group of diverse structural and dynamic components that play key roles during the infection. Even if there have been numerous reports about the composition and function of the Toxoplasma cytoskeleton, the ultrastructural organization of some of these components has not yet been fully characterized. This study used a detergent extraction process and several electron microscopy contrast methods that allowed the successful isolation of the cytoskeleton of Toxoplasma tachyzoites. This process allowed for the conservation of the structures known to date and several new structures that had not been characterized at the ultrastructural level. For the first time, characterization was achieved for a group of nanofibers that allow the association between the polar apical ring and the conoid as well as the ultrastructural characterization of the apical cap of the parasite. The ultrastructure and precise location of the peripheral rings were also found, and the annular components of the basal complex were characterized. Finally, through immunoelectron microscopy, the exact spatial location of the subpellicular network inside the internal membrane system that forms the pellicle was found. The findings regarding these new structures contribute to the knowledge concerning the biology of the Toxoplasma gondii cytoskeleton. They also provide new opportunities in the search for therapeutic strategies aimed at these components with the purpose of inhibiting invasion and thus parasitism.
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Tucker MS, O’Brien CN, Jenkins MC, Rosenthal BM. Dynamically expressed genes provide candidate viability biomarkers in a model coccidian. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0258157. [PMID: 34597342 PMCID: PMC8486141 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Eimeria parasites cause enteric disease in livestock and the closely related Cyclosporacayetanensis causes human disease. Oocysts of these coccidian parasites undergo maturation (sporulation) before becoming infectious. Here, we assessed transcription in maturing oocysts of Eimeria acervulina, a widespread chicken parasite, predicted gene functions, and determined which of these genes also occur in C. cayetanensis. RNA-Sequencing yielded ~2 billion paired-end reads, 92% of which mapped to the E. acervulina genome. The ~6,900 annotated genes underwent temporally-coordinated patterns of gene expression. Fifty-three genes each contributed >1,000 transcripts per million (TPM) throughout the study interval, including cation-transporting ATPases, an oocyst wall protein, a palmitoyltransferase, membrane proteins, and hypothetical proteins. These genes were enriched for 285 gene ontology (GO) terms and 13 genes were ascribed to 17 KEGG pathways, defining housekeeping processes and functions important throughout sporulation. Expression differed in mature and immature oocysts for 40% (2,928) of all genes; of these, nearly two-thirds (1,843) increased their expression over time. Eight genes expressed most in immature oocysts, encoding proteins promoting oocyst maturation and development, were assigned to 37 GO terms and 5 KEGG pathways. Fifty-six genes underwent significant upregulation in mature oocysts, each contributing at least 1,000 TPM. Of these, 40 were annotated by 215 GO assignments and 9 were associated with 18 KEGG pathways, encoding products involved in respiration, carbon fixation, energy utilization, invasion, motility, and stress and detoxification responses. Sporulation orchestrates coordinated changes in the expression of many genes, most especially those governing metabolic activity. Establishing the long-term fate of these transcripts in sporulated oocysts and in senescent and deceased oocysts will further elucidate the biology of coccidian development, and may provide tools to assay infectiousness of parasite cohorts. Moreover, because many of these genes have homologues in C. cayetanensis, they may prove useful as biomarkers for risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S. Tucker
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD, United States of America
| | - Celia N. O’Brien
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD, United States of America
| | - Mark C. Jenkins
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD, United States of America
| | - Benjamin M. Rosenthal
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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7
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Salmonella Typhimurium impairs glycolysis-mediated acidification of phagosomes to evade macrophage defense. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009943. [PMID: 34555129 PMCID: PMC8491875 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulation of cellular metabolism is now recognized as a crucial mechanism for the activation of innate and adaptive immune cells upon diverse extracellular stimuli. Macrophages, for instance, increase glycolysis upon stimulation with pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Conceivably, pathogens also counteract these metabolic changes for their own survival in the host. Despite this dynamic interplay in host-pathogen interactions, the role of immunometabolism in the context of intracellular bacterial infections is still unclear. Here, employing unbiased metabolomic and transcriptomic approaches, we investigated the role of metabolic adaptations of macrophages upon Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) infections. Importantly, our results suggest that S. Typhimurium abrogates glycolysis and its modulators such as insulin-signaling to impair macrophage defense. Mechanistically, glycolysis facilitates glycolytic enzyme aldolase A mediated v-ATPase assembly and the acidification of phagosomes which is critical for lysosomal degradation. Thus, impairment in the glycolytic machinery eventually leads to decreased bacterial clearance and antigen presentation in murine macrophages (BMDM). Collectively, our results highlight a vital molecular link between metabolic adaptation and phagosome maturation in macrophages, which is targeted by S. Typhimurium to evade cell-autonomous defense.
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8
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Copley SD. The physical basis and practical consequences of biological promiscuity. Phys Biol 2020; 17:10.1088/1478-3975/ab8697. [PMID: 32244231 PMCID: PMC9291633 DOI: 10.1088/1478-3975/ab8697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Proteins interact with metabolites, nucleic acids, and other proteins to orchestrate the myriad catalytic, structural and regulatory functions that support life from the simplest microbes to the most complex multicellular organisms. These molecular interactions are often exquisitely specific, but never perfectly so. Adventitious "promiscuous" interactions are ubiquitous due to the thousands of macromolecules and small molecules crowded together in cells. Such interactions may perturb protein function at the molecular level, but as long as they do not compromise organismal fitness, they will not be removed by natural selection. Although promiscuous interactions are physiologically irrelevant, they are important because they can provide a vast reservoir of potential functions that can provide the starting point for evolution of new functions, both in nature and in the laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelley D Copley
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology and Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, UNITED STATES
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9
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Rópolo AS, Feliziani C, Touz MC. Unusual proteins in Giardia duodenalis and their role in survival. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2019; 106:1-50. [PMID: 31630755 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2019.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The capacity of the parasite Giardia duodenalis to perform complex functions with minimal amounts of proteins and organelles has attracted increasing numbers of scientists worldwide, trying to explain how this parasite adapts to internal and external changes to survive. One explanation could be that G. duodenalis evolved from a structurally complex ancestor by reductive evolution, resulting in adaptation to its parasitic lifestyle. Reductive evolution involves the loss of genes, organelles, and functions that commonly occur in many parasites, by which the host renders some structures and functions redundant. However, there is increasing data that Giardia possesses proteins able to perform more than one function. During recent decades, the concept of moonlighting was described for multitasking proteins, which involves only proteins with an extra independent function(s). In this chapter, we provide an overview of unusual proteins in Giardia that present multifunctional properties depending on the location and/or parasite requirement. We also discuss experimental evidence that may allow some giardial proteins to be classified as moonlighting proteins by examining the properties of moonlighting proteins in general. Up to date, Giardia does not seem to require the numerous redundant proteins present in other organisms to accomplish its normal functions, and thus this parasite may be an appropriate model for understanding different aspects of moonlighting proteins, which may be helpful in the design of drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea S Rópolo
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Constanza Feliziani
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - María C Touz
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
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10
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Wang ZX, Zhou CX, Calderón-Mantilla G, Petsalaki E, He JJ, Song HY, Elsheikha HM, Zhu XQ. iTRAQ-Based Global Phosphoproteomics Reveals Novel Molecular Differences Between Toxoplasma gondii Strains of Different Genotypes. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:307. [PMID: 31508380 PMCID: PMC6716450 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
To gain insights into differences in the virulence among T. gondii strains at the post-translational level, we conducted a quantitative analysis of the phosphoproteome profile of T. gondii strains belonging to three different genotypes. Phosphopeptides from three strains, type I (RH strain), type II (PRU strain) and ToxoDB#9 (PYS strain), were enriched by titanium dioxide (TiO2) affinity chromatography and quantified using iTRAQ technology. A total of 1,441 phosphopeptides, 1,250 phosphorylation sites and 759 phosphoproteins were detected. In addition, 392, 298, and 436 differentially expressed phosphoproteins (DEPs) were identified in RH strain when comparing RH/PRU strains, in PRU strain when comparing PRU/PYS strains, and in PYS strain when comparing PYS/RH strains, respectively. Functional characterization of the DEPs using GO, KEGG, and STRING analyses revealed marked differences between the three strains. In silico kinase substrate motif analysis of the DEPs revealed three (RxxS, SxxE, and SxxxE), three (RxxS, SxxE, and SP), and five (SxxE, SP, SxE, LxRxxS, and RxxS) motifs in RH strain when comparing RH/PRU strains, in PRU strain when comparing PRU/PYS, and in PYS strain when comparing PYS/RH strains, respectively. This suggests that multiple overrepresented protein kinases including PKA, PKG, CKII, IKK, and MAPK could be involved in such a difference between T. gondii strains. Kinase associated network analysis showed that ROP5, ROP16, and cell-cycle-associated protein kinase CDK were the most connected kinase peptides. Our data reveal significant changes in the abundance of phosphoproteins between T. gondii genotypes, which explain some of the mechanisms that contribute to the virulence heterogeneity of this parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ze-Xiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China.,College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Chun-Xue Zhou
- Department of Parasitology, Shandong University School of Basic Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Guillermo Calderón-Mantilla
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Evangelia Petsalaki
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Jun-Jun He
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Hai-Yang Song
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China.,College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, China
| | - Hany M Elsheikha
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, United Kingdom
| | - Xing-Quan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
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Chang YC, Chiou J, Yang YF, Su CY, Lin YF, Yang CN, Lu PJ, Huang MS, Yang CJ, Hsiao M. Therapeutic Targeting of Aldolase A Interactions Inhibits Lung Cancer Metastasis and Prolongs Survival. Cancer Res 2019; 79:4754-4766. [PMID: 31358528 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-18-4080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2018] [Revised: 04/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Cancer metabolic reprogramming promotes tumorigenesis and metastasis; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still being uncovered. In this study, we show that the glycolytic enzyme aldolase A (ALDOA) is a key enzyme involved in lung cancer metabolic reprogramming and metastasis. Overexpression of ALDOA increased migration and invasion of lung cancer cell lines in vitro and formation of metastatic lung cancer foci in vivo. ALDOA promoted metastasis independent of its enzymatic activity. Immunoprecipitation and proteomic analyses revealed γ-actin binds to ALDOA; blocking this interaction using specific peptides decreased metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Screening of clinically available drugs based on the crystal structure of ALDOA identified raltegravir, an antiretroviral agent that targets HIV integrase, as a pharmacologic inhibitor of ALDOA-γ-actin binding that produced antimetastatic and survival benefits in a xenograft model with no significant toxicity. In summary, ALDOA promotes lung cancer metastasis by interacting with γ-actin. Targeting this interaction provides a new therapeutic strategy to treat lung cancer metastasis. SIGNIFICANCE: This study demonstrates the role of aldolase A and its interaction with γ-actin in the metastasis of non-small lung cancer and that blocking this interaction could be an effective cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chan Chang
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jean Chiou
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Fang Yang
- Translational Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Yi Su
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yuan-Feng Lin
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Ning Yang
- Department of Life Sciences, National University of Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Jung Lu
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Medical College, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Shyan Huang
- Department of Internal Medicine, E-DA Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Jen Yang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical Municipal Ta-Tung, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. .,Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan
| | - Michael Hsiao
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan. .,Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
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Protein extract from head-foot tissue of Oncomelania hupensis promotes the growth and development of mother sporocysts of Schistosoma japonicum via upregulation of parasite aldolase gene. Parasitol Res 2019; 118:1821-1831. [PMID: 31011809 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-019-06308-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies showed that protein extract from head-foot tissue of Oncomelania hupensis (O. hupensis) (PhfO), when cocultured with mother sporocysts of Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum), was beneficial for parasite's growth and development but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. One possible strategy for PhfO to promote the growth and development of mother sporocysts of S. japonicum is to upregulate parasite's survival genes. Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (ALD), an essential enzyme of glycometabolism in the energy metabolism process, plays an important role in the survival and the growth and development of schistosomes. Using an in vitro coculture system, in this study, we analyzed the potential involvement of the ald gene in the growth and development of mother sporocysts of S. japonicum following coculture with PhfO. We found that coculture with PhfO promoted the growth and development and the survival of mother sporocysts, and increased parasites' ATP consumption level. Mother sporocysts cocultured with PhfO showed a significantly increased expression of the ald gene at both RNA and protein levels. The ALD protein mainly expressed in the cytoplasm of mother sporocysts. Knockdown of ald gene in parasites decreased the ALD protein expression and the ATP consumption level, suppressed the growth and development, and attenuated the survival of mother sporocysts. In ald knockdown mother sporocysts, the effects of PhfO on the ALD expression, the ATP consumption level, the growth and development, and the survival of larvae were significantly abolished. Therefore, the data suggest that PhfO could promote the growth and development, and the survival of mother sporocysts of S. japonicum via upregulating the expression of the ald gene.
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13
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Yang Y, Bai X, Li C, Tong M, Zhang P, Cai W, Liu X, Liu M. Molecular Characterization of Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate Aldolase From Trichinella spiralis and Its Potential in Inducing Immune Protection. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:122. [PMID: 31069178 PMCID: PMC6491450 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Trichinella spiralis is a major food-borne parasite worldwide. Trichinellosis caused by T. spiralis is not only a public health problem, but also an economic hazard in food safety. The development of effective vaccines to prevent Trichinella infection in domestic animals and humans is urgently needed for controlling of this zoonosis. Fructose-1, 6-bisphosphate aldolase (FBPA) is involved in energy production in glycolysis and is also associated with many non-glycolysis functions in the parasite, such as adhesion to host cells, plasminogen binding, and invasion. FBPA has been considered as a potential vaccine candidate or as a target for chemotherapeutic treatment. Here, we report for the first time the characterization of FBPA of T. spiralis and an evaluation of its potential as a vaccine candidate antigen against T. spiralis infection in mice. The results of qPCR and western blot analysis showed that the Ts-FBPA gene was expressed at various developmental stages of T. spiralis and was also detected in excretory–secretory products (ES) of T. spiralis muscle larvae (ML). Immunostaining with anti-Ts-FBPA mouse sera indicated that it localized principally to the surface and embryos of this parasitic nematode. Vaccination of mice with recombinant Ts-FBPA (rTs-FBPA) resulted in a Th1/Th2 mixed humoral and cellular immune response with Th2 predominant, as well as remarkably elevated IgE levels. Moreover, mice vaccinated with rTs-FBPA displayed a 48.7% reduction in adult worm burden and 52.5% reduction in muscle larval burden. These studies indicated that Ts-FBPA is a promising target for developing an effective vaccine to prevent and control Trichinella infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Yang
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Zoonosis, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Wu Xi Medical School, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Xue Bai
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Zoonosis, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Chengyao Li
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Zoonosis, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Mingwei Tong
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Peihao Zhang
- Wu Xi Medical School, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Wei Cai
- Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, The Fourth People's Hospital of Wuxi City, Wuxi, China
| | - Xiaolei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Zoonosis, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Mingyuan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Zoonosis, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
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14
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Secretory Microneme Proteins Induce T-Cell Recall Responses in Mice Chronically Infected with Toxoplasma gondii. mSphere 2019; 4:4/1/e00711-18. [PMID: 30814319 PMCID: PMC6393730 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00711-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Current diagnosis of toxoplasmosis relies almost exclusively on antibody detection, and while detection of IgG provides a useful estimate of prior infection, it does not alone indicate immune status. In contrast, detection of IFN-γ responses to T. gondii antigens has been used to monitor immune responsiveness in HIV-infected patients, thus providing valuable predictions about the potential for disease reactivation. However, specific T. gondii antigens that can be used in assays to detect cellular immunity remain largely undefined. In this study, we examined the diagnostic potential of microneme antigens of T. gondii using IFN-γ detection assays. Our findings demonstrate that MIC antigens (MIC1, MIC3, MIC4, and MIC6) elicit IFN-γ responses from memory T cells in chronically infected mice. Monitoring IFN-γ production by T cells stimulated with MIC antigens provided high sensitivity and specificity for detection of T. gondii infection in mice. Taken together, these studies suggest that microneme antigens might be useful as an adjunct to serological testing to monitor immune status during infection. Microneme (MIC) proteins play important roles in the recognition, adhesion, and invasion of host cells by Toxoplasma gondii. Previous studies have shown that MIC proteins are highly immunogenic in the mouse and recognized by human serum antibodies. Here we report that T. gondii antigens MIC1, MIC3, MIC4, and MIC6 were capable of inducing memory responses leading to production of gamma interferon (IFN-γ) by T cells from T. gondii-infected mice. Production of IFN-γ was demonstrated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISPOT) assay and also intracellular cytokine staining. All four MIC antigens displayed very high sensitivity (100%) and specificity (86 to 100%) for detecting chronic infection. Interestingly, IFN-γ was produced by both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in BALB/c mice but primarily by CD4+ T cells in C57BL/6 mice. Phenotypic characterization of IFN-γ-producing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in BALB/c mice and CD4+ T cells in C57BL/6 mice revealed effector memory T cells (CD44hi CD62Llo) as the predominant cells that contributed to IFN-γ production in response to MIC antigens. Effector memory responses were seen in mice of different major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) haplotypes, suggesting that MIC antigens contain epitopes that are broadly recognized. IMPORTANCE Current diagnosis of toxoplasmosis relies almost exclusively on antibody detection, and while detection of IgG provides a useful estimate of prior infection, it does not alone indicate immune status. In contrast, detection of IFN-γ responses to T. gondii antigens has been used to monitor immune responsiveness in HIV-infected patients, thus providing valuable predictions about the potential for disease reactivation. However, specific T. gondii antigens that can be used in assays to detect cellular immunity remain largely undefined. In this study, we examined the diagnostic potential of microneme antigens of T. gondii using IFN-γ detection assays. Our findings demonstrate that MIC antigens (MIC1, MIC3, MIC4, and MIC6) elicit IFN-γ responses from memory T cells in chronically infected mice. Monitoring IFN-γ production by T cells stimulated with MIC antigens provided high sensitivity and specificity for detection of T. gondii infection in mice. Taken together, these studies suggest that microneme antigens might be useful as an adjunct to serological testing to monitor immune status during infection.
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15
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Gao X, Bao S, Xing X, Fu X, Zhang Y, Xue H, Wen F, Wei Y. Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase of Mycoplasma bovis is a plasminogen-binding adhesin. Microb Pathog 2018; 124:230-237. [PMID: 30142464 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2018.08.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Revised: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Mycoplasma bovis is an extremely small cell wall-deficient pathogenic bacterium in the genus Mycoplasma that causes serious economic losses to the cattle industry worldwide. Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (FBA), a key enzyme in the glycolytic pathway, is a multifunctional protein in several pathogenic bacterial species, but its role in M. bovis remains unknown. Herein, the FBA gene of the M. bovis was amplified by PCR, and subcloned into the prokaryotic expression vector pET28a (+) to generate the pET28a-FBA plasmid for recombinant expression in Escherichia coli Transetta. Expression of the 34 kDa recombinant rMbFBA protein was confirmed by electrophoresis, and enzymatic activity assays based on conversion of NADH to NAD+ revealed Km and Vmax values of 48 μM and 43.8 μmoL/L/min, respectively. Rabbit anti-rMbFBA and anti-M. bovis serum were generated by inoculation with rMbFBA and M. bovis, and antigenicity and immunofluorescence assay demonstrated that FBA is an immunogenic protein expressed on the cell membrane in M. bovis cells. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays revealed equal distribution of FBA in the cell membrane and cytoplasm. Complement-dependent mycoplasmacidal assays showed that rabbit anti-rMbFBA serum killed 44.1% of M. bovis cells in the presence of complement. Binding and ELISA assays demonstrated that rMbFBA binds native bovine plasminogen and in a dose-dependent manner. Fluorescent microscopy revealed that pre-treatment with antibodies against rMbFBA decreased the adhesion of M. bovis to embryonic bovine lung (EBL) cells. Furthermore, adherence inhibition assays revealed 34.4% inhibition of M. bovis infection of EBL cells following treatment with rabbit anti-rMbFBA serum, suggesting rMbFBA participates in bacterial adhesion to EBL cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Gao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, 1 Yingmencun, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Shijun Bao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, 1 Yingmencun, Lanzhou 730070, China.
| | - Xiaoyong Xing
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, 1 Yingmencun, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Xiaoping Fu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, 1 Yingmencun, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, 1 Yingmencun, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Huiwen Xue
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, 1 Yingmencun, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Fengqin Wen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, 1 Yingmencun, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Yanming Wei
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, 1 Yingmencun, Lanzhou 730070, China
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16
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Li Y, Zhang D, Kong L, Shi H, Tian X, Gao L, Liu Y, Wu L, Du B, Huang Z, Liang C, Wang Z, Yao R, Zhang Y. Aldolase promotes the development of cardiac hypertrophy by targeting AMPK signaling. Exp Cell Res 2018; 370:78-86. [PMID: 29902536 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2018.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2018] [Revised: 05/27/2018] [Accepted: 06/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Metabolic dysfunction is a hallmark of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. During cardiac failure, the metabolism of cardiomyocyte switches from fatty acid oxidation to glycolysis. However, the roles of key metabolic enzymes in cardiac hypertrophy are not understood fully. Here in the present work, we identified Aldolase A (AldoA) as a core regulator of cardiac hypertrophy. The mRNA and protein levels of AldoA were significantly up-regulated in transverse aortic constriction (TAC)- and isoproterenol (ISO)-induced hypertrophic mouse hearts. Overexpression of AldoA in cardiomyocytes promoted ISO-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, whereas AldoA knockdown repressed cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. In addition, adeno-associated virus 9 (AAV9)-mediated in vivo knockdown of AldoA in the hearts rescued ISO-induced decrease in cardiac ejection fraction and fractional shortening and repressed cardiac hypertrophy. Mechanism study revealed that AldoA repressed the activation of AMP-dependent protein kinase (AMPK) signaling in a liver kinase B1 (LKB1)-dependent and AMP-independent manner. Inactivation of AMPK is a core mechanism underlying AldoA-mediated promotion of ISO-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. By contrast, activation of AMPK with metformin and AICAR blocked AldoA function during cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. In summary, our data support the notion that AldoA-AMPK axis is a core regulatory signaling sensing energetic status and participates in cardiac hypertrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yapeng Li
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Dianhong Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Lingyao Kong
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Huiting Shi
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xinyu Tian
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Lu Gao
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yuzhou Liu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Leiming Wu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Binbin Du
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhen Huang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Cui Liang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zheng Wang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Rui Yao
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yanzhou Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
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17
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Proteome-wide analysis of Anopheles culicifacies mosquito midgut: new insights into the mechanism of refractoriness. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:337. [PMID: 29739330 PMCID: PMC5941458 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-4729-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2017] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Midgut invasion, a major bottleneck for malaria parasites transmission is considered as a potential target for vector-parasite interaction studies. New intervention strategies are required to explore the midgut proteins and their potential role in refractoriness for malaria control in Anopheles mosquitoes. To better understand the midgut functional proteins of An. culicifacies susceptible and refractory species, proteomic approaches coupled with bioinformatics analysis is an effective means in order to understand the mechanism of refractoriness. In the present study, an integrated in solution- in gel trypsin digestion approach, along with Isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-Liquid chromatography/Mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) and data mining were performed to identify the proteomic profile and differentially expressed proteins in Anopheles culicifacies susceptible species A and refractory species B. RESULTS Shot gun proteomics approaches led to the identification of 80 proteins in An. culicifacies susceptible species A and 92 in refractory species B and catalogue was prepared. iTRAQ based proteomic analysis identified 48 differentially expressed proteins from total 130 proteins. Of these, 41 were downregulated and 7 were upregulated in refractory species B in comparison to susceptible species A. We report that the altered midgut proteins identified in naturally refractory mosquitoes are involved in oxidative phosphorylation, antioxidant and proteolysis process that may suggest their role in parasite growth inhibition. Furthermore, real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of few proteins indicated higher expression of iTRAQ upregulated protein in refractory species than susceptible species. CONCLUSION This study elucidates the first proteome of the midguts of An. culicifacies sibling species that attempts to analyze unique proteogenomic interactions to provide insights for better understanding of the mechanism of refractoriness. Functional implications of these upregulated proteins in refractory species may reflect the phenotypic characteristics of the mosquitoes and will improve our understandings of blood meal digestion process, parasite vector interactions and proteomes of other vectors of human diseases for development of novel vector control strategies.
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18
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Proteomic analysis of protein interactions between Eimeria maxima sporozoites and chicken jejunal epithelial cells by shotgun LC-MS/MS. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:226. [PMID: 29618377 PMCID: PMC5885459 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2818-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2017] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Eimeria maxima initiates infection by invading the jejunal epithelial cells of chicken. However, the proteins involved in invasion remain unknown. The research of the molecules that participate in the interactions between E. maxima sporozoites and host target cells will fill a gap in our understanding of the invasion system of this parasitic pathogen. Methods In the present study, chicken jejunal epithelial cells were isolated and cultured in vitro. Western blot was employed to analyze the soluble proteins of E. maxima sporozoites that bound to chicken jejunal epithelial cells. Co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) assay was used to separate the E. maxima proteins that bound to chicken jejunal epithelial cells. Shotgun LC-MS/MS technique was used for proteomics identification and Gene Ontology was employed for the bioinformatics analysis. Results The results of Western blot analysis showed that four proteins bands from jejunal epithelial cells co-cultured with soluble proteins of E. maxima sporozoites were recognized by the positive sera, with molecular weights of 70, 90, 95 and 130 kDa. The co-IP dilutions were analyzed by shotgun LC-MS/MS. A total of 204 proteins were identified in the E. maxima protein database using the MASCOT search engine. Thirty-five proteins including microneme protein 3 and 7 had more than two unique peptide counts and were annotated using Gene Ontology for molecular function, biological process and cellular localization. The results revealed that of the 35 annotated peptides, 22 (62.86%) were associated with binding activity and 15 (42.86%) were involved in catalytic activity. Conclusions Our findings provide an insight into the interaction between E. maxima and the corresponding host cells and it is important for the understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying E. maxima invasion. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-018-2818-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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19
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Brown KM, Long S, Sibley LD. Conditional Knockdown of Proteins Using Auxin-inducible Degron (AID) Fusions in Toxoplasma gondii. Bio Protoc 2018; 8:e2728. [PMID: 29644255 DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.2728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a member of the deadly phylum of protozoan parasites called Apicomplexa. As a model apicomplexan, there is a great wealth of information regarding T. gondii's 8,000+ protein coding genes including sequence variation, expression, and relative contribution to parasite fitness. However, new tools are needed to functionally investigate hundreds of putative essential protein coding genes. Accordingly, we recently implemented the auxin-inducible degron (AID) system for studying essential proteins in T. gondii. Here we provide a step-by-step protocol for examining protein function in T. gondii using the AID system in a tissue culture setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M Brown
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Shaojun Long
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - L David Sibley
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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20
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Hu G, Taylor DW, Liu J, Taylor KA. Identification of interfaces involved in weak interactions with application to F-actin-aldolase rafts. J Struct Biol 2017; 201:199-209. [PMID: 29146292 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2017.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Revised: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 11/12/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Macromolecular interactions occur with widely varying affinities. Strong interactions form well defined interfaces but weak interactions are more dynamic and variable. Weak interactions can collectively lead to large structures such as microvilli via cooperativity and are often the precursors of much stronger interactions, e.g. the initial actin-myosin interaction during muscle contraction. Electron tomography combined with subvolume alignment and classification is an ideal method for the study of weak interactions because a 3-D image is obtained for the individual interactions, which subsequently are characterized collectively. Here we describe a method to characterize heterogeneous F-actin-aldolase interactions in 2-D rafts using electron tomography. By forming separate averages of the two constituents and fitting an atomic structure to each average, together with the alignment information which relates the raw motif to the average, an atomic model of each crosslink is determined and a frequency map of contact residues is computed. The approach should be applicable to any large structure composed of constituents that interact weakly and heterogeneously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guiqing Hu
- Institute of Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4380, United States
| | - Dianne W Taylor
- Institute of Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4380, United States
| | - Jun Liu
- Institute of Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4380, United States
| | - Kenneth A Taylor
- Institute of Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4380, United States.
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22
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Calmodulin-like proteins localized to the conoid regulate motility and cell invasion by Toxoplasma gondii. PLoS Pathog 2017; 13:e1006379. [PMID: 28475612 PMCID: PMC5435356 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2017] [Revised: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 04/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii contains an expanded number of calmodulin (CaM)-like proteins whose functions are poorly understood. Using a combination of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing and a plant-like auxin-induced degron (AID) system, we examined the roles of three apically localized CaMs. CaM1 and CaM2 were individually dispensable, but loss of both resulted in a synthetic lethal phenotype. CaM3 was refractory to deletion, suggesting it is essential. Consistent with this prediction auxin-induced degradation of CaM3 blocked growth. Phenotypic analysis revealed that all three CaMs contribute to parasite motility, invasion, and egress from host cells, and that they act downstream of microneme and rhoptry secretion. Super-resolution microscopy localized all three CaMs to the conoid where they overlap with myosin H (MyoH), a motor protein that is required for invasion. Biotinylation using BirA fusions with the CaMs labeled a number of apical proteins including MyoH and its light chain MLC7, suggesting they may interact. Consistent with this hypothesis, disruption of MyoH led to degradation of CaM3, or redistribution of CaM1 and CaM2. Collectively, our findings suggest these CaMs may interact with MyoH to control motility and cell invasion. One of the most common motifs that binds calcium to transduce intracellular signals is called an EF hand- named after the globular domain structure first characterized in ovalbumin. A conserved cluster of four EF hands, each of which that binds one calcium atom, is a conserved feature of calmodulin, centrins, and calmodulin-like proteins, including myosin light chains. Although the presence of EF hands is predictive of calcium binding, it alone does not allow classification of biological function as this set of conserved proteins have very diverse functions. Here we used modified editing procedures based on CRISPR/Cas9 combined with a plant-like degradation system to define the roles of three calmodulin-like proteins in T. gondii. These proteins all localized to a specialized apical structure called the conoid where they overlap with the motor protein called MyoH. Additionally, biochemical and genetic studies suggest they coordinately regulate cell invasion. These new genomic editing tools, combined with an efficient system for protein degradation, expand the functional tool kit for an analysis of essential genes and proteins in T. gondii.
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Abstract
Cyclic GMP (cGMP)-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase G [PKG]) is essential for microneme secretion, motility, invasion, and egress in apicomplexan parasites, However, the separate roles of two isoforms of the kinase that are expressed by some apicomplexans remain uncertain. Despite having identical regulatory and catalytic domains, PKGI is plasma membrane associated whereas PKGII is cytosolic in Toxoplasma gondii. To determine whether these isoforms are functionally distinct or redundant, we developed an auxin-inducible degron (AID) tagging system for conditional protein depletion in T. gondii. By combining AID regulation with genome editing strategies, we determined that PKGI is necessary and fully sufficient for PKG-dependent cellular processes. Conversely, PKGII is functionally insufficient and dispensable in the presence of PKGI. The difference in functionality mapped to the first 15 residues of PKGI, containing a myristoylated Gly residue at position 2 that is critical for membrane association and PKG function. Collectively, we have identified a novel requirement for cGMP signaling at the plasma membrane and developed a new system for examining essential proteins in T. gondii. Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular apicomplexan parasite and important clinical and veterinary pathogen that causes toxoplasmosis. Since apicomplexans can only propagate within host cells, efficient invasion is critically important for their life cycles. Previous studies using chemical genetics demonstrated that cyclic GMP signaling through protein kinase G (PKG)-controlled invasion by apicomplexan parasites. However, these studies did not resolve functional differences between two compartmentalized isoforms of the kinase. Here we developed a conditional protein regulation tool to interrogate PKG isoforms in T. gondii. We found that the cytosolic PKG isoform was largely insufficient and dispensable. In contrast, the plasma membrane-associated isoform was necessary and fully sufficient for PKG function. Our studies identify the plasma membrane as a key location for PKG activity and provide a broadly applicable system for examining essential proteins in T. gondii.
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Dubey R, Staker BL, Foe IT, Bogyo M, Myler PJ, Ngô HM, Gubbels MJ. Membrane skeletal association and post-translational allosteric regulation of Toxoplasma gondii GAPDH1. Mol Microbiol 2017; 103:618-634. [PMID: 27859784 PMCID: PMC5296235 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
When Toxoplasma gondii egresses from the host cell, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 1 (GAPDH1), which is primary a glycolysis enzyme but actually a quintessential multifunctional protein, translocates to the unique cortical membrane skeleton. Here, we report the 2.25 Å resolution crystal structure of the GAPDH1 holoenzyme in a quaternary complex providing the basis for the molecular dissection of GAPDH1 structure-function relationships Knockdown of GAPDH1 expression and catalytic site disruption validate the essentiality of GAPDH1 in intracellular replication but we confirmed that glycolysis is not strictly essential. We identify, for the first time, S-loop phosphorylation as a novel, critical regulator of enzymatic activity that is consistent with the notion that the S-loop is critical for cofactor binding, allosteric activation and oligomerization. We show that neither enzymatic activity nor phosphorylation state correlate with the ability to translocate to the cortex. However, we demonstrate that association of GAPDH1 with the cortex is mediated by the N-terminus, likely palmitoylation. Overall, glycolysis and cortical translocation are functionally decoupled by post-translational modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashmi Dubey
- Department of Biology, Boston College, MA 02467, USA
| | - Bart L. Staker
- Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease, Seattle, WA 98109, USA,The Center for Infectious Disease Research, Seattle (formerly Seattle BioMed), WA 98109, USA
| | - Ian T. Foe
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 55324, USA
| | - Matthew Bogyo
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 55324, USA
| | - Peter J. Myler
- Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease, Seattle, WA 98109, USA,The Center for Infectious Disease Research, Seattle (formerly Seattle BioMed), WA 98109, USA,Department of Global Health and Department of Biomedical Informatics & Medical Education, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Huân M. Ngô
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Disease, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA,BrainMicro LLC, New Haven, CT 06511, USA,Corresponding authors: Huân Ngô and Marc-Jan Gubbels
| | - Marc-Jan Gubbels
- Department of Biology, Boston College, MA 02467, USA,Corresponding authors: Huân Ngô and Marc-Jan Gubbels
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Jacot D, Tosetti N, Pires I, Stock J, Graindorge A, Hung YF, Han H, Tewari R, Kursula I, Soldati-Favre D. An Apicomplexan Actin-Binding Protein Serves as a Connector and Lipid Sensor to Coordinate Motility and Invasion. Cell Host Microbe 2016; 20:731-743. [PMID: 27978434 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2016.10.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2016] [Revised: 09/16/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Apicomplexa exhibit a unique form of substrate-dependent gliding motility central for host cell invasion and parasite dissemination. Gliding is powered by rearward translocation of apically secreted transmembrane adhesins via their interaction with the parasite actomyosin system. We report a conserved armadillo and pleckstrin homology (PH) domain-containing protein, termed glideosome-associated connector (GAC), that mediates apicomplexan gliding motility, invasion, and egress by connecting the micronemal adhesins with the actomyosin system. TgGAC binds to and stabilizes filamentous actin and specifically associates with the transmembrane adhesin TgMIC2. GAC localizes to the apical pole in invasive stages of Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium berghei, and apical positioning of TgGAC depends on an apical lysine methyltransferase, TgAKMT. GAC PH domain also binds to phosphatidic acid, a lipid mediator associated with microneme exocytosis. Collectively, these findings indicate a central role for GAC in spatially and temporally coordinating gliding motility and invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien Jacot
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, 1 Rue Michel-Servet, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Nicolò Tosetti
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, 1 Rue Michel-Servet, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Isa Pires
- Biocenter Oulu and Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Aapistie 7, 90220 Oulu, Finland
| | - Jessica Stock
- School of Life Sciences, Queens Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG2 7UH, UK
| | - Arnault Graindorge
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, 1 Rue Michel-Servet, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Yu-Fu Hung
- Biocenter Oulu and Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Aapistie 7, 90220 Oulu, Finland
| | - Huijong Han
- Biocenter Oulu and Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Aapistie 7, 90220 Oulu, Finland
| | - Rita Tewari
- School of Life Sciences, Queens Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG2 7UH, UK
| | - Inari Kursula
- Biocenter Oulu and Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Aapistie 7, 90220 Oulu, Finland; Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 91, 5009 Bergen, Norway.
| | - Dominique Soldati-Favre
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, 1 Rue Michel-Servet, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland.
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Liver fluke infection and cholangiocarcinoma: a review. Parasitol Res 2016; 116:11-19. [PMID: 27718017 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-016-5276-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 09/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Parasites are significant groups for carcinogenesis among which liver flukes, including Opisthorchis viverrini and Clonorchis sinensis, are typical representatives causing cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), the second most common primary hepatic malignancy with dismal prognosis. O. viverrini is prevalent in Southeast Asia, infecting 10 million people while C. sinensis has a wider distribution in East Asia and several Southeast Asian countries, affecting more than 35 million people's health. These two worms have some common characteristics and/or discrepancies in life cycle, genome, and transcriptome. As hot spots in recent years, genome and transcriptome research has extracted numerous novel fluke worm-derived proteins, which are excellent for carcinogenic exploration. However, just a handful of these studies have focused on the metabolic pathway. In this study, the main mechanisms of carcinogenesis of both worms, in terms of mechanical damage, metabolic products and immunopathology, and other possible pathways, will be discussed in detail. This review retrospectively describes the main traits of C. sinensis and O. viverrini, their molecular biology and core carcinogenic mechanisms in a contrast pattern.
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Using metabolomics to dissect host–parasite interactions. Curr Opin Microbiol 2016; 32:59-65. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2016.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Revised: 04/24/2016] [Accepted: 04/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Kehrer J, Singer M, Lemgruber L, Silva PAGC, Frischknecht F, Mair GR. A Putative Small Solute Transporter Is Responsible for the Secretion of G377 and TRAP-Containing Secretory Vesicles during Plasmodium Gamete Egress and Sporozoite Motility. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1005734. [PMID: 27427910 PMCID: PMC4948853 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2016] [Accepted: 06/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulated protein secretion is required for malaria parasite life cycle progression and transmission between the mammalian host and mosquito vector. During transmission from the host to the vector, exocytosis of highly specialised secretory vesicles, such as osmiophilic bodies, is key to the dissolution of the red blood cell and parasitophorous vacuole membranes enabling gamete egress. The positioning of adhesins from the TRAP family, from micronemes to the sporozoite surface, is essential for gliding motility of the parasite and transmission from mosquito to mammalian host. Here we identify a conserved role for the putative pantothenate transporter PAT in Plasmodium berghei in vesicle fusion of two distinct classes of vesicles in gametocytes and sporozoites. PAT is a membrane component of osmiophilic bodies in gametocytes and micronemes in sporozoites. Despite normal formation and trafficking of osmiophilic bodies to the cell surface upon activation, PAT-deficient gametes fail to discharge their contents, remain intraerythrocytic and unavailable for fertilisation and further development in the mosquito. Sporozoites lacking PAT fail to secrete TRAP, are immotile and thus unable to infect the subsequent rodent host. Thus, P. berghei PAT appears to regulate exocytosis in two distinct populations of vesicles in two different life cycle forms rather than acting as pantothenic transporter during parasite transmission. Transmission of the malaria parasite between mosquito and host requires two different life cycle stages—the gametocyte and the sporozoite. In both parasite forms, transmission is dependent on exocytosis of stage-specific vesicles. In gametocytes these vesicles release proteins allowing egress from red blood cells and fertilization, and are hence needed to establish an infection in the mosquito. In contrast, proteins are secreted into the membrane of the sporozoite, where they play distinct roles during adhesion and motility, both crucial for transmission back into the mammalian host. Here we show that parasites lacking the putative small solute transporter PAT are still able to form vesicles in both parasite forms but are unable to fuse and secrete their contents. This results in impaired parasite transmission into and from the mosquito. Our work shows that a single protein can regulate the function of functionally distinct classes of vesicles in different life cycle forms of a parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Kehrer
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, University of Heidelberg Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mirko Singer
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, University of Heidelberg Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Leandro Lemgruber
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, University of Heidelberg Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Friedrich Frischknecht
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, University of Heidelberg Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
- * E-mail: (FF); ; (GRM)
| | - Gunnar R. Mair
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, University of Heidelberg Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
- Instituto Medicina Molecular, Lisbon, Portugal
- * E-mail: (FF); ; (GRM)
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Prompipak J, Senawong T, Jokchaiyaphum K, Siriwes K, Nuchadomrong S, Laha T, Sripa B, Senawong G. Characterization and localization of Opisthorchis viverrini fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase. Parasitol Int 2016; 66:413-418. [PMID: 27265876 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2016.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2015] [Revised: 05/29/2016] [Accepted: 06/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Opisthorchis viverrini (Ov) infection is a long-time public health problem in Thailand that can lead to bile duct cancer, cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Characterization of the Ov proteins at a molecular level will increase our knowledge of host-parasite interaction that can be applied to new drug, vaccine, or immunodiagnostic development. In this study, an important enzyme in the Ov glycolytic pathway, fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (FBPA), that had been obtained from a previous study was characterized and immunolocalized. The full-length sequence of OvFBPA gene is 1089bp and encodes 362 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight and isoelectric point of 39.54kDa and 7.61, respectively. Additionally, three OvFBPA isoforms were identified by sequence analysis. The amino acid sequence of OvFBPA-1 characterized in this study shared 98% identity to FBPA isoform 1 of Clonorchis sinensis that was classified based on highly conserved active residues to class-I FBPA. The recombinant OvFBPA-1 protein was expressed as a soluble form in Escherichia coli at 25°C with N-terminal His-tagged fusion protein and the purified OvFBPA-1 protein was used to generate polyclonal antibody in mice. Antibody against rOvFBPA-1 protein was able to detect the native OvFBPA-1 protein in both Ov infected hamster liver section and Ov excretory-secretory (ES) products by immunohistochemistry and western blotting, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeerati Prompipak
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Thanaset Senawong
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Khuanta Jokchaiyaphum
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Kornpira Siriwes
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Suporn Nuchadomrong
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Thewarach Laha
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Banchob Sripa
- Tropical Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Liver Fluke and Cholangiocarcinoma Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Gulsiri Senawong
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand.
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Blume M, Nitzsche R, Sternberg U, Gerlic M, Masters SL, Gupta N, McConville MJ. A Toxoplasma gondii Gluconeogenic Enzyme Contributes to Robust Central Carbon Metabolism and Is Essential for Replication and Virulence. Cell Host Microbe 2016; 18:210-20. [PMID: 26269956 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2015.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2014] [Revised: 05/25/2015] [Accepted: 07/14/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The expression of gluconeogenic enzymes is typically repressed when glucose is available. The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii utilizes host glucose to sustain high rates of intracellular replication. However, despite their preferential utilization of glucose, intracellular parasites constitutively express two isoforms of the gluconeogenic enzyme fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase (TgFBP1 and TgFBP2). The rationale for constitutive expression of FBPases in T. gondii remains unclear. We find that conditional knockdown of TgFBP2 results in complete loss of intracellular growth in vitro under glucose-replete conditions and loss of acute virulence in mice. TgFBP2 deficiency was rescued by expression of catalytically active FBPase and was associated with altered glycolytic and mitochondrial TCA cycle fluxes, as well as dysregulation of glycolipid, amylopectin, and fatty acid biosynthesis. Futile cycling between gluconeogenic and glycolytic enzymes may constitute a regulatory mechanism that allows T. gondii to rapidly adapt to changes in nutrient availability in different host cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Blume
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Institute of Molecular Science and Biotechnology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Richard Nitzsche
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Humboldt University, Berlin 10115, Germany
| | - Ulrich Sternberg
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Humboldt University, Berlin 10115, Germany
| | - Motti Gerlic
- Inflammation Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, and Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Seth L Masters
- Inflammation Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, and Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Nishith Gupta
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Humboldt University, Berlin 10115, Germany
| | - Malcolm J McConville
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Institute of Molecular Science and Biotechnology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.
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Riglar DT, Whitehead L, Cowman AF, Rogers KL, Baum J. Localisation-based imaging of malarial antigens during erythrocyte entry reaffirms a role for AMA1 but not MTRAP in invasion. J Cell Sci 2015; 129:228-42. [PMID: 26604223 PMCID: PMC4732298 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.177741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2015] [Accepted: 11/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Microscopy-based localisation of proteins during malaria parasite (Plasmodium) invasion of the erythrocyte is widely used for tentative assignment of protein function. To date, however, imaging has been limited by the rarity of invasion events and the poor resolution available, given the micron size of the parasite, which leads to a lack of quantitative measures for definitive localisation. Here, using computational image analysis we have attempted to assign relative protein localisation during invasion using wide-field deconvolution microscopy. By incorporating three-dimensional information we present a detailed assessment of known parasite effectors predicted to function during entry but as yet untested or for which data are equivocal. Our method, termed longitudinal intensity profiling, resolves confusion surrounding the localisation of apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) at the merozoite–erythrocyte junction and predicts that the merozoite thrombospondin-related anonymous protein (MTRAP) is unlikely to play a direct role in the mechanics of entry, an observation supported with additional biochemical evidence. This approach sets a benchmark for imaging of complex micron-scale events and cautions against simplistic interpretations of small numbers of representative images for the assignment of protein function or prioritisation of candidates as therapeutic targets. Highlighted Article: Here we develop a high-definition imaging approach to dissect and assign function to proteins involved in the rapid process of malaria parasite invasion of the human erythrocyte.
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Affiliation(s)
- David T Riglar
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, 3052, Australia Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3050, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Lachlan Whitehead
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, 3052, Australia Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3050, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Alan F Cowman
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, 3052, Australia Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3050, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Kelly L Rogers
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, 3052, Australia Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3050, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jake Baum
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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Deletion of mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 inhibits development and growth of Toxoplasma gondii. Parasitol Res 2015; 115:797-805. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-015-4807-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2015] [Accepted: 10/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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33
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Gliding motility in apicomplexan parasites. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2015; 46:135-42. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2015.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2015] [Accepted: 09/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Abstract
Key to the virulence of apicomplexan parasites is their ability to move through tissue and to invade and egress from host cells. Apicomplexan motility requires the activity of the glideosome, a multicomponent molecular motor composed of a type XIV myosin, MyoA. Here we identify a novel glideosome component, essential light chain 2 (ELC2), and functionally characterize the two essential light chains (ELC1 and ELC2) of MyoA in Toxoplasma. We show that these proteins are functionally redundant but are important for invasion, egress, and motility. Molecular simulations of the MyoA lever arm identify a role for Ca2+ in promoting intermolecular contacts between the ELCs and the adjacent MLC1 light chain to stabilize this domain. Using point mutations predicted to ablate either the interaction with Ca2+ or the interface between the two light chains, we demonstrate their contribution to the quality, displacement, and speed of gliding Toxoplasma parasites. Our work therefore delineates the importance of the MyoA lever arm and highlights a mechanism by which this domain could be stabilized in order to promote invasion, egress, and gliding motility in apicomplexan parasites. Tissue dissemination and host cell invasion by apicomplexan parasites such as Toxoplasma are pivotal to their pathogenesis. Central to these processes is gliding motility, which is driven by an actomyosin motor, the MyoA glideosome. Others have demonstrated the importance of the MyoA glideosome for parasite motility and virulence in mice. Disruption of its function may therefore have therapeutic potential, and yet a deeper mechanistic understanding of how it works is required. Ca2+-dependent and -independent phosphorylation and the direct binding of Ca2+ to the essential light chain have been implicated in the regulation of MyoA activity. Here we identify a second essential light chain of MyoA and demonstrate the importance of both to Toxoplasma motility. We also investigate the role of Ca2+ and the MyoA regulatory site in parasite motility and identify a potential mechanism whereby binding of a divalent cation to the essential light chains could stabilize the myosin to allow productive movement.
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Nemetski SM, Cardozo TJ, Bosch G, Weltzer R, O'Malley K, Ejigiri I, Kumar KA, Buscaglia CA, Nussenzweig V, Sinnis P, Levitskaya J, Bosch J. Inhibition by stabilization: targeting the Plasmodium falciparum aldolase-TRAP complex. Malar J 2015; 14:324. [PMID: 26289816 PMCID: PMC4545932 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-015-0834-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2015] [Accepted: 08/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emerging resistance of the malaria parasite Plasmodium to current therapies underscores the critical importance of exploring novel strategies for disease eradication. Plasmodium species are obligate intracellular protozoan parasites. They rely on an unusual form of substrate-dependent motility for their migration on and across host-cell membranes and for host cell invasion. This peculiar motility mechanism is driven by the 'glideosome', an actin-myosin associated, macromolecular complex anchored to the inner membrane complex of the parasite. Myosin A, actin, aldolase, and thrombospondin-related anonymous protein (TRAP) constitute the molecular core of the glideosome in the sporozoite, the mosquito stage that brings the infection into mammals. METHODS Virtual library screening of a large compound library against the PfAldolase-TRAP complex was used to identify candidate compounds that stabilize and prevent the disassembly of the glideosome. The mechanism of these compounds was confirmed by biochemical, biophysical and parasitological methods. RESULTS A novel inhibitory effect on the parasite was achieved by stabilizing a protein-protein interaction within the glideosome components. Compound 24 disrupts the gliding and invasive capabilities of Plasmodium parasites in in vitro parasite assays. A high-resolution, ternary X-ray crystal structure of PfAldolase-TRAP in complex with compound 24 confirms the mode of interaction and serves as a platform for future ligand optimization. CONCLUSION This proof-of-concept study presents a novel approach to anti-malarial drug discovery and design. By strengthening a protein-protein interaction within the parasite, an avenue towards inhibiting a previously "undruggable" target is revealed and the motility motor responsible for successful invasion of host cells is rendered inactive. This study provides new insights into the malaria parasite cell invasion machinery and convincingly demonstrates that liver cell invasion is dramatically reduced by 95 % in the presence of the small molecule stabilizer compound 24.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sondra Maureen Nemetski
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA. .,Department of Pediatrics, Phyllis and David Komansky Center for Children's Health, New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, USA.
| | - Timothy J Cardozo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA. .,Institute for Systems Genetics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA.
| | - Gundula Bosch
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA. .,Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute (JHMRI), Baltimore, USA.
| | - Ryan Weltzer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA. .,Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute (JHMRI), Baltimore, USA.
| | - Kevin O'Malley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA. .,Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute (JHMRI), Baltimore, USA.
| | - Ijeoma Ejigiri
- Department of Medical Parasitology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA.
| | - Kota Arun Kumar
- Michael Heidelberg Division of Pathology of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA. .,Department of Animal Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, 500046, India.
| | - Carlos A Buscaglia
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas-Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (IIB-INTECH), Universidad Nacional de General San Martín-CONICET, 1650, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Victor Nussenzweig
- Michael Heidelberg Division of Pathology of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA.
| | - Photini Sinnis
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA. .,Department of Medical Parasitology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA. .,Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute (JHMRI), Baltimore, USA.
| | - Jelena Levitskaya
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA. .,Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute (JHMRI), Baltimore, USA.
| | - Jürgen Bosch
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA. .,Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute (JHMRI), Baltimore, USA.
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Abstract
Reductive evolution during the adaptation to obligate parasitism and expansions of gene families encoding virulence factors are characteristics evident to greater or lesser degrees in all parasitic protists studied to date. Large evolutionary distances separate many parasitic protists from the yeast and animal models upon which classic views of eukaryotic biochemistry are often based. Thus a combination of evolutionary divergence, niche adaptation and reductive evolution means the biochemistry of parasitic protists is often very different from their hosts and to other eukaryotes generally, making parasites intriguing subjects for those interested in the phenomenon of moonlighting proteins. In common with other organisms, the contribution of protein moonlighting to parasite biology is only just emerging, and it is not without controversy. Here, an overview of recently identified moonlighting proteins in parasitic protists is provided, together with discussion of some of the controversies.
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Bichet M, Joly C, Henni AH, Guilbert T, Xémard M, Tafani V, Lagal V, Charras G, Tardieux I. The toxoplasma-host cell junction is anchored to the cell cortex to sustain parasite invasive force. BMC Biol 2014; 12:773. [PMID: 25551479 PMCID: PMC4316648 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-014-0108-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2014] [Accepted: 12/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The public health threats imposed by toxoplasmosis worldwide and by malaria in sub-Saharan countries are directly associated with the capacity of their related causative agents Toxoplasma and Plasmodium, respectively, to colonize and expand inside host cells. Therefore, deciphering how these two Apicomplexan protozoan parasites access their host cells has been highlighted as a priority research with the perspective of designing anti-invasive molecules to prevent diseases. Central to the mechanism of invasion for both genera is mechanical force, which is thought to be applied by the parasite at the interface between the two cells following assembly of a unique cell-cell junction but this model lacks direct evidence and has been challenged by recent genetic studies. In this work, using parasites expressing the fluorescent core component of this junction, we analyze characteristic features of the kinematics of penetration of more than 1,000 invasion events. Results The majority of invasion events occur with a typical forward rotational progression of the parasite through a static junction into an invaginating host cell plasma membrane. However, if parasites encounter resistance and if the junction is not strongly anchored to the host cell cortex, as when parasites do not secrete the toxofilin protein and, therefore, are unable to locally remodel the cortical actin cytoskeleton, the junction travels retrogradely with the host cell membrane along the parasite surface allowing the formation of a functional vacuole. Kinetic measurements of the invasive trajectories strongly support a similar parasite driven force in both static and capped junctions, both of which lead to successful invasion. However, about 20% of toxofilin mutants fail to enter and eventually disengage from the host cell membrane while the secreted RhOptry Neck (RON2) molecules are posteriorally capped before being cleaved and released in the medium. By contrast in cells characterized by low cortex tension and high cortical actin dynamics junction capping and entry failure are drastically reduced. Conclusions This kinematic analysis newly highlights that to invade cells parasites need to engage their motor with the junction molecular complex where force is efficiently applied only upon proper anchorage to the host cell membrane and cortex. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12915-014-0108-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Bichet
- Department of Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Inserm U1016, Institut Cochin, 22 Rue Méchain, 75014, Paris, France. .,Department of Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Cnrs UMR8104, 22 Rue Méchain, 75014, Paris, France. .,Department of Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 22 Rue Méchain, 75014, Paris, France.
| | - Candie Joly
- Department of Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Inserm U1016, Institut Cochin, 22 Rue Méchain, 75014, Paris, France. .,Department of Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Cnrs UMR8104, 22 Rue Méchain, 75014, Paris, France. .,Department of Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 22 Rue Méchain, 75014, Paris, France.
| | - Ahmed Hadj Henni
- Department of Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Inserm U1016, Institut Cochin, 22 Rue Méchain, 75014, Paris, France. .,Department of Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Cnrs UMR8104, 22 Rue Méchain, 75014, Paris, France. .,Department of Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 22 Rue Méchain, 75014, Paris, France.
| | - Thomas Guilbert
- Department of Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Inserm U1016, Institut Cochin, 22 Rue Méchain, 75014, Paris, France. .,Department of Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Cnrs UMR8104, 22 Rue Méchain, 75014, Paris, France. .,Department of Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 22 Rue Méchain, 75014, Paris, France.
| | - Marie Xémard
- Department of Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Inserm U1016, Institut Cochin, 22 Rue Méchain, 75014, Paris, France. .,Department of Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Cnrs UMR8104, 22 Rue Méchain, 75014, Paris, France. .,Department of Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 22 Rue Méchain, 75014, Paris, France.
| | - Vincent Tafani
- Department of Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Inserm U1016, Institut Cochin, 22 Rue Méchain, 75014, Paris, France. .,Department of Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Cnrs UMR8104, 22 Rue Méchain, 75014, Paris, France. .,Department of Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 22 Rue Méchain, 75014, Paris, France.
| | - Vanessa Lagal
- Department of Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Inserm U1016, Institut Cochin, 22 Rue Méchain, 75014, Paris, France. .,Department of Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Cnrs UMR8104, 22 Rue Méchain, 75014, Paris, France. .,Department of Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 22 Rue Méchain, 75014, Paris, France.
| | - Guillaume Charras
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, 17-19 Gordon Street, WC1H 0AH, London, UK.
| | - Isabelle Tardieux
- Department of Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Inserm U1016, Institut Cochin, 22 Rue Méchain, 75014, Paris, France. .,Department of Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Cnrs UMR8104, 22 Rue Méchain, 75014, Paris, France. .,Department of Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 22 Rue Méchain, 75014, Paris, France.
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Marcos CM, de Oliveira HC, da Silva JDF, Assato PA, Fusco-Almeida AM, Mendes-Giannini MJS. The multifaceted roles of metabolic enzymes in the Paracoccidioides species complex. Front Microbiol 2014; 5:719. [PMID: 25566229 PMCID: PMC4271699 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2014] [Accepted: 12/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Paracoccidioides species are dimorphic fungi and are the etiologic agents of paracoccidioidomycosis, which is a serious disease that involves multiple organs. The many tissues colonized by this fungus suggest a variety of surface molecules involved in adhesion. A surprising finding is that most enzymes in the glycolytic pathway, tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and glyoxylate cycle in Paracoccidioides spp. have adhesive properties that aid in interacting with the host extracellular matrix and thus act as ‘moonlighting’ proteins. Moonlighting proteins have multiple functions, which adds a dimension to cellular complexity and benefit cells in several ways. This phenomenon occurs in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. For example, moonlighting proteins from the glycolytic pathway or TCA cycle can play a role in bacterial pathogenesis by either acting as proteins secreted in a conventional pathway and/or as cell surface components that facilitate adhesion or adherence. This review outlines the multifunctionality exhibited by many Paracoccidioides spp. enzymes, including aconitase, aldolase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, isocitrate lyase, malate synthase, triose phosphate isomerase, fumarase, and enolase. We discuss the roles that moonlighting activities play in the virulence characteristics of this fungus and several other human pathogens during their interactions with the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline M Marcos
- Laboratório de Micologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual Paulista Araraquara, Brazil
| | - Haroldo C de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Micologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual Paulista Araraquara, Brazil
| | - Julhiany de F da Silva
- Laboratório de Micologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual Paulista Araraquara, Brazil
| | - Patrícia A Assato
- Laboratório de Micologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual Paulista Araraquara, Brazil
| | - Ana M Fusco-Almeida
- Laboratório de Micologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual Paulista Araraquara, Brazil
| | - Maria J S Mendes-Giannini
- Laboratório de Micologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual Paulista Araraquara, Brazil
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Exploiting Unique Structural and Functional Properties of Malarial Glycolytic Enzymes for Antimalarial Drug Development. Malar Res Treat 2014; 2014:451065. [PMID: 25580350 PMCID: PMC4280493 DOI: 10.1155/2014/451065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2014] [Accepted: 10/30/2014] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolic enzymes have been known to carry out a variety of functions besides their normal housekeeping roles known as “moonlighting functions.” These functionalities arise from structural changes induced by posttranslational modifications and/or binding of interacting proteins. Glycolysis is the sole source of energy generation for malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, hence a potential pathway for therapeutic intervention. Crystal structures of several P. falciparum glycolytic enzymes have been solved, revealing that they exhibit unique structural differences from the respective host enzymes, which could be exploited for their selective targeting. In addition, these enzymes carry out many parasite-specific functions, which could be of potential interest to control parasite development and transmission. This review focuses on the moonlighting functions of P. falciparum glycolytic enzymes and unique structural differences and functional features of the parasite enzymes, which could be exploited for therapeutic and transmission blocking interventions against malaria.
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Gómez de León CT, Díaz Martín RD, Mendoza Hernández G, González Pozos S, Ambrosio JR, Mondragón Flores R. Proteomic characterization of the subpellicular cytoskeleton of Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites. J Proteomics 2014; 111:86-99. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2014.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2013] [Revised: 02/27/2014] [Accepted: 03/07/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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Tonkin ML, Halavaty AS, Ramaswamy R, Ruan J, Igarashi M, Ngô HM, Boulanger MJ. Structural and functional divergence of the aldolase fold in Toxoplasma gondii. J Mol Biol 2014; 427:840-852. [PMID: 25284756 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2014.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2014] [Revised: 08/27/2014] [Accepted: 09/23/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Parasites of the phylum Apicomplexa are highly successful pathogens of humans and animals worldwide. As obligate intracellular parasites, they have significant energy requirements for invasion and gliding motility that are supplied by various metabolic pathways. Aldolases have emerged as key enzymes involved in these pathways, and all apicomplexans express one or both of fructose 1,6-bisphosphate (F16BP) aldolase and 2-deoxyribose 5-phosphate (dR5P) aldolase (DERA). Intriguingly, Toxoplasma gondii, a highly successful apicomplexan parasite, expresses F16BP aldolase (TgALD1), d5RP aldolase (TgDERA), and a divergent dR5P aldolase-like protein (TgDPA) exclusively in the latent bradyzoite stage. While the importance of TgALD1 in glycolysis is well established and TgDERA is also likely to be involved in parasite metabolism, the detailed function of TgDPA remains elusive. To gain mechanistic insight into the function of different T. gondii aldolases, we first determined the crystal structures of TgALD1 and TgDPA. Structural analysis revealed that both aldolases adopt a TIM barrel fold accessorized with divergent secondary structure elements. Structural comparison of TgALD1 and TgDPA with members of their respective enzyme families revealed that, while the active-site residues are conserved in TgALD1, key catalytic residues are absent in TgDPA. Consistent with this observation, biochemical assays showed that, while TgALD1 was active on F16BP, TgDPA was inactive on dR5P. Intriguingly, both aldolases are competent to bind polymerized actin in vitro. Altogether, structural and biochemical analyses of T. gondii aldolase and aldolase-like proteins reveal diverse functionalization of the classic TIM barrel aldolase fold.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle L Tonkin
- Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, PO Box 3055 STN CSC, Victoria, BC, Canada V8W 3P6
| | - Andrei S Halavaty
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Raghavendran Ramaswamy
- Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, PO Box 3055 STN CSC, Victoria, BC, Canada V8W 3P6
| | - Jiapeng Ruan
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Makoto Igarashi
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, 2-13 Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Huân M Ngô
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; BrainMicro LLC, 21 Pendleton Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Martin J Boulanger
- Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, PO Box 3055 STN CSC, Victoria, BC, Canada V8W 3P6.
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Bargieri D, Lagal V, Andenmatten N, Tardieux I, Meissner M, Ménard R. Host cell invasion by apicomplexan parasites: the junction conundrum. PLoS Pathog 2014; 10:e1004273. [PMID: 25232721 PMCID: PMC4169498 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Bargieri
- Institut Pasteur, Malaria Biology and Genetics Unit, Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Paris, France
| | - Vanessa Lagal
- Institut Cochin, Laboratory Barriers and Pathogens, INSERM U-1016, CNRS UMR-8104, University of Paris Descartes, Paris, France
| | - Nicole Andenmatten
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, Wellcome Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Glasgow Biomedical Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Isabelle Tardieux
- Institut Cochin, Laboratory Barriers and Pathogens, INSERM U-1016, CNRS UMR-8104, University of Paris Descartes, Paris, France
| | - Markus Meissner
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, Wellcome Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Glasgow Biomedical Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Robert Ménard
- Institut Pasteur, Malaria Biology and Genetics Unit, Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Paris, France
- * E-mail:
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Hassan IA, Wang S, Xu L, Yan R, Song X, Li X. DNA vaccination with a gene encoding Toxoplasma gondii Deoxyribose Phosphate Aldolase (TgDPA) induces partial protective immunity against lethal challenge in mice. Parasit Vectors 2014; 7:431. [PMID: 25201636 PMCID: PMC4164750 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-7-431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2014] [Accepted: 09/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that causes a pathological status known as toxoplasmosis, which has a huge impact on human and animal health. Currently, the main control strategy depends on the usage of drugs that target the acute stage of the infection, however, drawbacks were encountered while applying this method; therefore, development of an alternative effective method would be important progress. Deoxyribose Phosphate Aldolase (TgDPA) plays an important role supporting cell invasion and providing energy for the parasite. Methods TgDPA was expressed in Escherichia coli and the purified recombinant protein was used to immunize rats. The antibodies obtained were used to verify in vitro expression of TgDPA. The vector pVAX1 was utilized to formulate a DNA vaccine designated as pTgDPA, which was used to evaluate the immunological changes and the level of protection against challenge with the virulent RH strain of T. gondii. Results DNA vaccine, TgDPA revealed that it can induce a strong humoral as well as cellular mediated response in mice. These responses were a contribution of TH1, TH2 and TH17 type of responses. Following challenge, mice immunized with TgDPA showed longer survival rates than did those in control groups. Conclusions Further investigation regarding TgDPA is required to shed more light on its immunogenicity and its possible selection as a vaccine candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Xiangrui Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, People's Republic of China.
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Mouveaux T, Oria G, Werkmeister E, Slomianny C, Fox BA, Bzik DJ, Tomavo S. Nuclear glycolytic enzyme enolase of Toxoplasma gondii functions as a transcriptional regulator. PLoS One 2014; 9:e105820. [PMID: 25153525 PMCID: PMC4143315 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2014] [Accepted: 07/28/2014] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites including Toxoplasma gondii have complex life cycles within different hosts and their infectivity relies on their capacity to regulate gene expression. However, little is known about the nuclear factors that regulate gene expression in these pathogens. Here, we report that T. gondii enolase TgENO2 is targeted to the nucleus of actively replicating parasites, where it specifically binds to nuclear chromatin in vivo. Using a ChIP-Seq technique, we provide evidence for TgENO2 enrichment at the 5′ untranslated gene regions containing the putative promoters of 241 nuclear genes. Ectopic expression of HA-tagged TgENO1 or TgENO2 led to changes in transcript levels of numerous gene targets. Targeted disruption of TgENO1 gene results in a decrease in brain cyst burden of chronically infected mice and in changes in transcript levels of several nuclear genes. Complementation of this knockout mutant with ectopic TgENO1-HA fully restored normal transcript levels. Our findings reveal that enolase functions extend beyond glycolytic activity and include a direct role in coordinating gene regulation in T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Mouveaux
- Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, CNRS UMR 8204, INSERM U 1019, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Université Lille Nord de France, Lille, France
| | - Gabrielle Oria
- Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, CNRS UMR 8204, INSERM U 1019, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Université Lille Nord de France, Lille, France
| | - Elisabeth Werkmeister
- Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, CNRS UMR 8204, INSERM U 1019, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Université Lille Nord de France, Lille, France
| | - Christian Slomianny
- Laboratory of Cell Physiology, INSERM U 1003, Université Lille Nord de France, Villeneuve d'Ascq, France
| | - Barbara A. Fox
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - David J. Bzik
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Stanislas Tomavo
- Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, CNRS UMR 8204, INSERM U 1019, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Université Lille Nord de France, Lille, France
- * E-mail:
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Heitlinger E, Spork S, Lucius R, Dieterich C. The genome of Eimeria falciformis--reduction and specialization in a single host apicomplexan parasite. BMC Genomics 2014; 15:696. [PMID: 25142335 PMCID: PMC4287421 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2014] [Accepted: 07/19/2014] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The phylum Apicomplexa comprises important unicellular human parasites such as Toxoplasma and Plasmodium. Eimeria is the largest and most diverse genus of apicomplexan parasites and some species of the genus are the causative agent of coccidiosis, a disease economically devastating in poultry. We report a complete genome sequence of the mouse parasite Eimeria falciformis. We assembled and annotated the genome sequence to study host-parasite interactions in this understudied genus in a model organism host. RESULTS The genome of E. falciformis is 44 Mb in size and contains 5,879 predicted protein coding genes. Comparative analysis of E. falciformis with Toxoplasma gondii shows an emergence and diversification of gene families associated with motility and invasion mainly at the level of the Coccidia. Many rhoptry kinases, among them important virulence factors in T. gondii, are absent from the E. falciformis genome. Surface antigens are divergent between Eimeria species. Comparisons with T. gondii showed differences between genes involved in metabolism, N-glycan and GPI-anchor synthesis. E. falciformis possesses a reduced set of transmembrane transporters and we suggest an altered mode of iron uptake in the genus Eimeria. CONCLUSIONS Reduced diversity of genes required for host-parasite interaction and transmembrane transport allow hypotheses on host adaptation and specialization of a single host parasite. The E. falciformis genome sequence sheds light on the evolution of the Coccidia and helps to identify determinants of host-parasite interaction critical for drug and vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuel Heitlinger
- />Department of Molecular Parasitology, Humboldt University, Philippstraße 13, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Simone Spork
- />Department of Molecular Parasitology, Humboldt University, Philippstraße 13, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Richard Lucius
- />Department of Molecular Parasitology, Humboldt University, Philippstraße 13, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christoph Dieterich
- />Computational RNA Biology and Ageing, Max Plank Institute for Biology of Ageing, Joseph-Stelzmann Straße 9b, 50913 Cologne, Germany
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Toxoplasma gondii development of its replicative niche: in its host cell and beyond. EUKARYOTIC CELL 2014; 13:965-76. [PMID: 24951442 DOI: 10.1128/ec.00081-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Intracellular pathogens can replicate efficiently only after they manipulate and modify their host cells to create an environment conducive to replication. While diverse cellular pathways are targeted by different pathogens, metabolism, membrane and cytoskeletal architecture formation, and cell death are the three primary cellular processes that are modified by infections. Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan that infects ∼30% of the world's population and causes severe and life-threatening disease in developing fetuses, in immune-comprised patients, and in certain otherwise healthy individuals who are primarily found in South America. The high prevalence of Toxoplasma in humans is in large part a result of its ability to modulate these three host cell processes. Here, we highlight recent work defining the mechanisms by which Toxoplasma interacts with these processes. In addition, we hypothesize why some processes are modified not only in the infected host cell but also in neighboring uninfected cells.
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Abstract
UNLABELLED Toxoplasma gondii has become a model for studying the phylum Apicomplexa, in part due to the availability of excellent genetic tools. Although reverse genetic tools are available in a few widely utilized laboratory strains, they rely on special genetic backgrounds that are not easily implemented in natural isolates. Recent progress in modifying CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats), a system of DNA recognition used as a defense mechanism in bacteria and archaea, has led to extremely efficient gene disruption in a variety of organisms. Here we utilized a CRISPR/CAS9-based system with single guide RNAs to disrupt genes in T. gondii. CRISPR/CAS9 provided an extremely efficient system for targeted gene disruption and for site-specific insertion of selectable markers through homologous recombination. CRISPR/CAS9 also facilitated site-specific insertion in the absence of homology, thus increasing the utility of this approach over existing technology. We then tested whether CRISPR/CAS9 would enable efficient transformation of a natural isolate. Using CRISPR/CAS9, we were able to rapidly generate both rop18 knockouts and complemented lines in the type I GT1 strain, which has been used for forward genetic crosses but which remains refractory to reverse genetic approaches. Assessment of their phenotypes in vivo revealed that ROP18 contributed a greater proportion to acute pathogenesis in GT1 than in the laboratory type I RH strain. Thus, CRISPR/CAS9 extends reverse genetic techniques to diverse isolates of T. gondii, allowing exploration of a much wider spectrum of biological diversity. IMPORTANCE Genetic approaches have proven very powerful for studying the biology of organisms, including microbes. However, ease of genetic manipulation varies widely among isolates, with common lab isolates often being the most amenable to such approaches. Unfortunately, such common lab isolates have also been passaged frequently in vitro and have thus lost many of the attributes of wild isolates, often affecting important traits, like virulence. On the other hand, wild isolates are often not amenable to standard genetic approaches, thus limiting inquiry about the genetic basis of biological diversity. Here we imported a new genetic system based on CRISPR/CAS9, which allows high efficiency of targeted gene disruption in natural isolates of T. gondii. This advance promises to bring the power of genetics to bear on the broad diversity of T. gondii strains that have been described recently.
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Bargieri DY, Andenmatten N, Lagal V, Thiberge S, Whitelaw JA, Tardieux I, Meissner M, Ménard R. Apical membrane antigen 1 mediates apicomplexan parasite attachment but is dispensable for host cell invasion. Nat Commun 2014; 4:2552. [PMID: 24108241 PMCID: PMC3826631 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2013] [Accepted: 09/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites invade host cells by forming a ring-like junction with the cell surface and actively sliding through the junction inside an intracellular vacuole. Apical membrane antigen 1 is conserved in apicomplexans and a long-standing malaria vaccine candidate. It is considered to have multiple important roles during host cell penetration, primarily in structuring the junction by interacting with the rhoptry neck 2 protein and transducing the force generated by the parasite motor during internalization. Here, we generate Plasmodium sporozoites and merozoites and Toxoplasma tachyzoites lacking apical membrane antigen 1, and find that the latter two are impaired in host cell attachment but the three display normal host cell penetration through the junction. Therefore, apical membrane antigen 1, rather than an essential invasin, is a dispensable adhesin of apicomplexan zoites. These genetic data have implications on the use of apical membrane antigen 1 or the apical membrane antigen 1–rhoptry neck 2 interaction as targets of intervention strategies against malaria or other diseases caused by apicomplexans. Plasmodium and Toxoplasma apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) is believed to be actively involved in host cell invasion by these parasites. Bargieri et al. now demonstrate that although AMA1 facilitates adhesion, invasion can proceed in the absence of the protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Y Bargieri
- 1] Institut Pasteur, Malaria Biology and Genetics Unit, Department of Parasitology and Mycology, 28 Rue du Dr Roux, Paris, France [2]
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Kan A, Tan YH, Angrisano F, Hanssen E, Rogers KL, Whitehead L, Mollard VP, Cozijnsen A, Delves MJ, Crawford S, Sinden RE, McFadden GI, Leckie C, Bailey J, Baum J. Quantitative analysis of Plasmodium ookinete motion in three dimensions suggests a critical role for cell shape in the biomechanics of malaria parasite gliding motility. Cell Microbiol 2014; 16:734-50. [PMID: 24612056 PMCID: PMC4286792 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2013] [Revised: 01/22/2014] [Accepted: 02/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Motility is a fundamental part of cellular life and survival, including for Plasmodium parasites--single-celled protozoan pathogens responsible for human malaria. The motile life cycle forms achieve motility, called gliding, via the activity of an internal actomyosin motor. Although gliding is based on the well-studied system of actin and myosin, its core biomechanics are not completely understood. Currently accepted models suggest it results from a specifically organized cellular motor that produces a rearward directional force. When linked to surface-bound adhesins, this force is passaged to the cell posterior, propelling the parasite forwards. Gliding motility is observed in all three life cycle stages of Plasmodium: sporozoites, merozoites and ookinetes. However, it is only the ookinetes--formed inside the midgut of infected mosquitoes--that display continuous gliding without the necessity of host cell entry. This makes them ideal candidates for invasion-free biomechanical analysis. Here we apply a plate-based imaging approach to study ookinete motion in three-dimensional (3D) space to understand Plasmodium cell motility and how movement facilitates midgut colonization. Using single-cell tracking and numerical analysis of parasite motion in 3D, our analysis demonstrates that ookinetes move with a conserved left-handed helical trajectory. Investigation of cell morphology suggests this trajectory may be based on the ookinete subpellicular cytoskeleton, with complementary whole and subcellular electron microscopy showing that, like their motion paths, ookinetes share a conserved left-handed corkscrew shape and underlying twisted microtubular architecture. Through comparisons of 3D movement between wild-type ookinetes and a cytoskeleton-knockout mutant we demonstrate that perturbation of cell shape changes motion from helical to broadly linear. Therefore, while the precise linkages between cellular architecture and actomyosin motor organization remain unknown, our analysis suggests that the molecular basis of cell shape may, in addition to motor force, be a key adaptive strategy for malaria parasite dissemination and, as such, transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey Kan
- Victoria Research Laboratory, National ICT Australia (NICTA), Department of Computing and Information Systems, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., 3010, Australia
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Egarter S, Andenmatten N, Jackson AJ, Whitelaw JA, Pall G, Black JA, Ferguson DJP, Tardieux I, Mogilner A, Meissner M. The toxoplasma Acto-MyoA motor complex is important but not essential for gliding motility and host cell invasion. PLoS One 2014; 9:e91819. [PMID: 24632839 PMCID: PMC3954763 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0091819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2013] [Accepted: 02/13/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites are thought to actively invade the host cell by gliding motility. This movement is powered by the parasite's own actomyosin system, and depends on the regulated polymerisation and depolymerisation of actin to generate the force for gliding and host cell penetration. Recent studies demonstrated that Toxoplasma gondii can invade the host cell in the absence of several core components of the invasion machinery, such as the motor protein myosin A (MyoA), the microneme proteins MIC2 and AMA1 and actin, indicating the presence of alternative invasion mechanisms. Here the roles of MyoA, MLC1, GAP45 and Act1, core components of the gliding machinery, are re-dissected in detail. Although important roles of these components for gliding motility and host cell invasion are verified, mutant parasites remain invasive and do not show a block of gliding motility, suggesting that other mechanisms must be in place to enable the parasite to move and invade the host cell. A novel, hypothetical model for parasite gliding motility and invasion is presented based on osmotic forces generated in the cytosol of the parasite that are converted into motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskia Egarter
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Nicole Andenmatten
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Allison J. Jackson
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Jamie A. Whitelaw
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Gurman Pall
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer Ann Black
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - David J. P. Ferguson
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Isabelle Tardieux
- Institut Cochin, University of Paris Descartes, INSERM U-1016, CNRS UMR-8104, Paris, France
| | - Alex Mogilner
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior and Department of Mathematics, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Markus Meissner
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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