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Martín-Pérez T, Köhsler M, Walochnik J. Evaluation and validation of reference genes for RT-qPCR gene expression in Naegleria gruberi. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16748. [PMID: 37798308 PMCID: PMC10555999 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43892-3] [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: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Naegleria gruberi is a free-living amoeboflagellate commonly found in freshwater and in soils around the world. It is a non-pathogenic relative of Naegleria fowleri, which is the etiologic agent of Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM). PAM occurs world-wide and it is considered a rare disease, but its fatality rate is high (96%) mainly because of delay in initiation of treatment due to misdiagnosis and lack of a specific treatment. The analysis of gene expression by quantitative real-time PCR in N. gruberi could be a highly efficient means to understand the pathogenicity of N. fowleri and also to find drug targets. Accurate RT-qPCR analysis requires correct normalization of gene expression data using reference genes (RG), whose expression should be constant under different experimental conditions. In this study, six genes, representing the most frequently used housekeeping genes, were selected for evaluation as reference genes in N. gruberi. The expression and stability of these genes was evaluated employing four algorithms (geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper and RefFinder). This work shows significant variations of the stability of RGs depending on the algorithms employed and on the experimental conditions (i.e. logarithmic, stationary, heat-shock and oxidative stress). The geNorm, NormFinder and RefFinder analysis of all the experimental conditions in combination revealed that ACT and G6PD were the most stable RGs. While BestKeeper analysis showed that 18S and TBP were the most stable RGs. Moreover, normalization of HSP90 gene expression with the most stable RGs resulted in an upregulation whereas when the normalization was done with the unstable RGs, the gene expression was not reliable. Hence, the implications of this study are relevant to gene expression studies in N. gruberi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Martín-Pérez
- Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Martina Köhsler
- Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia Walochnik
- Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
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2
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Shaliutina-Loginova A, Francetic O, Doležal P. Bacterial Type II Secretion System and Its Mitochondrial Counterpart. mBio 2023; 14:e0314522. [PMID: 36971557 PMCID: PMC10128026 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03145-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the billions of years that bacteria have been around, they have evolved several sophisticated protein secretion nanomachines to deliver toxins, hydrolytic enzymes, and effector proteins into their environments. Of these, the type II secretion system (T2SS) is used by Gram-negative bacteria to export a wide range of folded proteins from the periplasm across the outer membrane.
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3
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Arbon D, Ženíšková K, Šubrtová K, Mach J, Štursa J, Machado M, Zahedifard F, Leštinová T, Hierro-Yap C, Neuzil J, Volf P, Ganter M, Zoltner M, Zíková A, Werner L, Sutak R. Repurposing of MitoTam: Novel Anti-Cancer Drug Candidate Exhibits Potent Activity against Major Protozoan and Fungal Pathogens. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2022; 66:e0072722. [PMID: 35856666 PMCID: PMC9380531 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00727-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Many of the currently available anti-parasitic and anti-fungal frontline drugs have severe limitations, including adverse side effects, complex administration, and increasing occurrence of resistance. The discovery and development of new therapeutic agents is a costly and lengthy process. Therefore, repurposing drugs with already established clinical application offers an attractive, fast-track approach for novel treatment options. In this study, we show that the anti-cancer drug candidate MitoTam, a mitochondria-targeted analog of tamoxifen, efficiently eliminates a wide range of evolutionarily distinct pathogens in vitro, including pathogenic fungi, Plasmodium falciparum, and several species of trypanosomatid parasites, causative agents of debilitating neglected tropical diseases. MitoTam treatment was also effective in vivo and significantly reduced parasitemia of two medically important parasites, Leishmania mexicana and Trypanosoma brucei, in their respective animal infection models. Functional analysis in the bloodstream form of T. brucei showed that MitoTam rapidly altered mitochondrial functions, particularly affecting cellular respiration, lowering ATP levels, and dissipating mitochondrial membrane potential. Our data suggest that the mode of action of MitoTam involves disruption of the inner mitochondrial membrane, leading to rapid organelle depolarization and cell death. Altogether, MitoTam is an excellent candidate drug against several important pathogens, for which there are no efficient therapies and for which drug development is not a priority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Arbon
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Ženíšková
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Karolína Šubrtová
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Mach
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Štursa
- Institute of Biotechnology, Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Marta Machado
- Graduate Program in Areas of Basic and Applied Biology, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
| | - Farnaz Zahedifard
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Leštinová
- Faculty of Sciences, Charles University, Department of Parasitology, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Carolina Hierro-Yap
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Neuzil
- Institute of Biotechnology, Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Science, Griffith University, Southport, Queensland, Australia
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Volf
- Faculty of Sciences, Charles University, Department of Parasitology, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Markus Ganter
- Centre for Infectious Diseases, Parasitology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Zoltner
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Alena Zíková
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Lukáš Werner
- Institute of Biotechnology, Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Robert Sutak
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
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4
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Cantoni D, Osborne A, Taib N, Thompson G, Martín‐Escolano R, Kazana E, Edrich E, Brown IR, Gribaldo S, Gourlay CW, Tsaousis AD. Localization and functional characterization of the alternative oxidase in Naegleria. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2022; 69:e12908. [PMID: 35322502 PMCID: PMC9540462 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The alternative oxidase (AOX) is a protein involved in supporting enzymatic reactions of the Krebs cycle in instances when the canonical (cytochrome-mediated) respiratory chain has been inhibited, while allowing for the maintenance of cell growth and necessary metabolic processes for survival. Among eukaryotes, alternative oxidases have dispersed distribution and are found in plants, fungi, and protists, including Naegleria ssp. Naegleria species are free-living unicellular amoeboflagellates and include the pathogenic species of N. fowleri, the so-called "brain-eating amoeba." Using a multidisciplinary approach, we aimed to understand the evolution, localization, and function of AOX and the role that plays in Naegleria's biology. Our analyses suggest that AOX was present in last common ancestor of the genus and structure prediction showed that all functional residues are also present in Naegleria species. Using cellular and biochemical techniques, we also functionally characterize N. gruberi's AOX in its mitochondria, and we demonstrate that its inactivation affects its proliferation. Consequently, we discuss the benefits of the presence of this protein in Naegleria species, along with its potential pathogenicity role in N. fowleri. We predict that our findings will spearhead new explorations to understand the cell biology, metabolism, and evolution of Naegleria and other free-living relatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Cantoni
- Laboratory of Molecular & Evolutionary Parasitology, RAPID GroupSchool of BiosciencesUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
| | - Ashley Osborne
- Laboratory of Molecular & Evolutionary Parasitology, RAPID GroupSchool of BiosciencesUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
| | - Najwa Taib
- Unit Evolutionary Biology of the Microbial CellDepartment of MicrobiologyInstitut Pasteur, UMR CNRS 2001ParisFrance
- Hub Bioinformatics and BiostatisticsDepartment of Computational BiologyInstitut Pasteur, USR 3756 CNRSParisFrance
| | - Gary Thompson
- NMR FacilitySchool of BiosciencesUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
| | - Rubén Martín‐Escolano
- Laboratory of Molecular & Evolutionary Parasitology, RAPID GroupSchool of BiosciencesUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
| | - Eleanna Kazana
- Laboratory of Molecular & Evolutionary Parasitology, RAPID GroupSchool of BiosciencesUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
| | - Elizabeth Edrich
- Kent Fungal Group, RAPID GroupSchool of BiosciencesUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
| | - Ian R. Brown
- Bioimaging FacilitySchool of BiosciencesUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
| | - Simonetta Gribaldo
- Unit Evolutionary Biology of the Microbial CellDepartment of MicrobiologyInstitut Pasteur, UMR CNRS 2001ParisFrance
| | - Campbell W. Gourlay
- Kent Fungal Group, RAPID GroupSchool of BiosciencesUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
| | - Anastasios D. Tsaousis
- Laboratory of Molecular & Evolutionary Parasitology, RAPID GroupSchool of BiosciencesUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
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Grechnikova M, Arbon D, Ženíšková K, Malych R, Mach J, Krejbichová L, Šimáčková A, Sutak R. Elucidation of iron homeostasis in Acanthamoeba castellanii. Int J Parasitol 2022; 52:497-508. [PMID: 35533729 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2022.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Acanthamoeba castellanii is a ubiquitously distributed amoeba that can be found in soil, dust, natural and tap water, air conditioners, hospitals, contact lenses and other environments. It is an amphizoic organism that can cause granulomatous amoebic encephalitis, an infrequent fatal disease of the central nervous system, and amoebic keratitis, a severe corneal infection that can lead to blindness. These diseases are extremely hard to treat; therefore, a more comprehensive understanding of this pathogen's metabolism is essential for revealing potential therapeutic targets. To propagate successfully in human tissues, the parasites must resist the iron depletion caused by nutritional immunity. The aim of our study is to elucidate the mechanisms underlying iron homeostasis in A. castellanii. Using a comparative whole-cell proteomic analysis of cells grown under different degrees of iron availability, we identified the primary proteins involved in Acanthamoeba iron acquisition. Our results suggest a two-step reductive mechanism of iron acquisition by a ferric reductase from the STEAP family and a divalent metal transporter from the NRAMP family. Both proteins are localized to the membranes of acidified digestive vacuoles where endocytosed medium and bacteria are trafficked. The expression levels of these proteins are significantly higher under iron-limited conditions, which allows Acanthamoeba to increase the efficiency of iron uptake despite the observed reduced pinocytosis rate. We propose that excessive iron gained while grown under iron-rich conditions is removed from the cytosol into the vacuoles by an iron transporter homologous to VIT/Ccc1 proteins. Additionally, we identified a novel protein that may participate in iron uptake regulation, the overexpression of which leads to increased iron acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Grechnikova
- Department of Parasitology, Charles University, Faculty of Science, BIOCEV, Průmyslová 595, 252 50 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Dominik Arbon
- Department of Parasitology, Charles University, Faculty of Science, BIOCEV, Průmyslová 595, 252 50 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Ženíšková
- Department of Parasitology, Charles University, Faculty of Science, BIOCEV, Průmyslová 595, 252 50 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Ronald Malych
- Department of Parasitology, Charles University, Faculty of Science, BIOCEV, Průmyslová 595, 252 50 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Mach
- Department of Parasitology, Charles University, Faculty of Science, BIOCEV, Průmyslová 595, 252 50 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Krejbichová
- Department of Parasitology, Charles University, Faculty of Science, BIOCEV, Průmyslová 595, 252 50 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Aneta Šimáčková
- Department of Parasitology, Charles University, Faculty of Science, BIOCEV, Průmyslová 595, 252 50 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Robert Sutak
- Department of Parasitology, Charles University, Faculty of Science, BIOCEV, Průmyslová 595, 252 50 Vestec, Czech Republic.
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6
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Ženíšková K, Grechnikova M, Sutak R. Copper Metabolism in Naegleria gruberi and Its Deadly Relative Naegleria fowleri. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:853463. [PMID: 35478954 PMCID: PMC9035749 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.853463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Although copper is an essential nutrient crucial for many biological processes, an excessive concentration can be toxic and lead to cell death. The metabolism of this two-faced metal must be strictly regulated at the cell level. In this study, we investigated copper homeostasis in two related unicellular organisms: nonpathogenic Naegleria gruberi and the “brain-eating amoeba” Naegleria fowleri. We identified and confirmed the function of their specific copper transporters securing the main pathway of copper acquisition. Adjusting to different environments with varying copper levels during the life cycle of these organisms requires various metabolic adaptations. Using comparative proteomic analyses, measuring oxygen consumption, and enzymatic determination of NADH dehydrogenase, we showed that both amoebas respond to copper deprivation by upregulating the components of the branched electron transport chain: the alternative oxidase and alternative NADH dehydrogenase. Interestingly, analysis of iron acquisition indicated that this system is copper-dependent in N. gruberi but not in its pathogenic relative. Importantly, we identified a potential key protein of copper metabolism of N. gruberi, the homolog of human DJ-1 protein, which is known to be linked to Parkinson’s disease. Altogether, our study reveals the mechanisms underlying copper metabolism in the model amoeba N. gruberi and the fatal pathogen N. fowleri and highlights the differences between the two amoebas.
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7
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Malych R, Füssy Z, Ženíšková K, Arbon D, Hampl V, Hrdý I, Sutak R. The response of Naegleria gruberi to oxidative stress. Metallomics 2022; 14:6527579. [PMID: 35150262 DOI: 10.1093/mtomcs/mfac009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Aerobic organisms require oxygen for respiration but must simultaneously cope with oxidative damages inherently linked with this molecule. Unicellular amoeboflagellates of the genus Naegleria, containing both free-living species and opportunistic parasite, thrive in aerobic environments. However, they are also known to maintain typical features of anaerobic organisms. Here, we describe the mechanisms of oxidative damage mitigation in Naegleria gruberi and focus on the molecular characteristics of three noncanonical proteins interacting with oxygen and its derived reactive forms. We show that this protist expresses hemerythrin, protoglobin and an aerobic-type rubrerythrin, with spectral properties characteristic of the cofactors they bind. We provide evidence that protoglobin and hemerythrin interact with oxygen in vitro and confirm the mitochondrial localization of rubrerythrin by immunolabeling. Our proteomic analysis and immunoblotting following heavy metal treatment revealed upregulation of hemerythrin, while rotenone treatment resulted in an increase in rubrerythrin protein levels together with vast upregulation of alternative oxidase. Our study provided new insights into the mechanisms employed by N. gruberi to cope with different types of oxidative stress and allowed us to propose specific roles for three unique and understudied proteins: hemerythrin, protoglobin and rubrerythrin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald Malych
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Zoltán Füssy
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Ženíšková
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Dominik Arbon
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Hampl
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Ivan Hrdý
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Robert Sutak
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
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Malych R, Stopka P, Mach J, Kotabová E, Prášil O, Sutak R. Flow cytometry-based study of model marine microalgal consortia revealed an ecological advantage of siderophore utilization by the dinoflagellate Amphidinium carterae. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 20:287-295. [PMID: 35024100 PMCID: PMC8718654 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.12.023] [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: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Investigations of phytoplankton responses to iron stress in seawater are complicated by the fact that iron concentrations do not necessarily reflect bioavailability. Most studies to date have been based on single species or field samples and are problematic to interpret. Here, we report results from an experimental cocultivation model system that enabled us to evaluate interspecific competition as a function of iron content and form, and to study the effect of nutritional conditions on the proteomic profiles of individual species. Our study revealed that the dinoflagellate Amphidinium carterae was able to utilize iron from a hydroxamate siderophore, a strategy that could provide an ecological advantage in environments where siderophores present an important source of iron. Additionally, proteomic analysis allowed us to identify a potential candidate protein involved in iron acquisition from hydroxamate siderophores, a strategy that is largely unknown in eukaryotic phytoplankton.
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Key Words
- (s)PLS-DA, (sparse) partial least squares discriminant analysis
- AUC, area under curve
- Amphidinium carterae
- AtpE, ATP synthase
- BCS, bathocuproinedisulfonic acid disodium salt
- CREG1, cellular repressor of E1A stimulated genes 1
- DFOB, desferrioxamine B
- EDTA, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
- ENT, enterobactin
- FACS, fluorescence-activated cell sorting
- FBAI, fructose-bisphosphate aldolase I
- FBAII, fructose-bisphosphate aldolase II
- FBP1, putative ferrichrome-binding protein
- FOB, ferrioxamine B
- Flow cytometry
- ISIP, iron starvation induced protein
- Iron
- LHCX, light-harvesting complex subunits
- LL, long-term iron limitation
- LR, iron enrichment
- Marine microalgae
- NBD, nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazole
- NPQ, nonphotochemical quenching
- PAGE, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis
- PSI, photosystem I
- PSII, photosystem II
- PetA, cytochrome b6/f
- Proteomics
- PsaC, photosystem I iron-sulfur center
- PsaD, photosystem I reaction center subunit II
- PsaE, photosystem I reaction center subunit IV
- PsaL, photosystem I reaction center subunit XI
- PsbC, photosystem II CP43 reaction center protein
- PsbV, cytochrome c-550
- RR, long-term iron sufficiency
- SOD1, superoxide dismutase [Cu-Zn]
- Siderophores
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald Malych
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech
| | - Pavel Stopka
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech
| | - Jan Mach
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech
| | - Eva Kotabová
- Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences, Centrum Algatech, Trebon, Czech
| | - Ondřej Prášil
- Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences, Centrum Algatech, Trebon, Czech
| | - Robert Sutak
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech
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9
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Horváthová L, Žárský V, Pánek T, Derelle R, Pyrih J, Motyčková A, Klápšťová V, Vinopalová M, Marková L, Voleman L, Klimeš V, Petrů M, Vaitová Z, Čepička I, Hryzáková K, Harant K, Gray MW, Chami M, Guilvout I, Francetic O, Franz Lang B, Vlček Č, Tsaousis AD, Eliáš M, Doležal P. Analysis of diverse eukaryotes suggests the existence of an ancestral mitochondrial apparatus derived from the bacterial type II secretion system. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2947. [PMID: 34011950 PMCID: PMC8134430 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23046-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The type 2 secretion system (T2SS) is present in some Gram-negative eubacteria and used to secrete proteins across the outer membrane. Here we report that certain representative heteroloboseans, jakobids, malawimonads and hemimastigotes unexpectedly possess homologues of core T2SS components. We show that at least some of them are present in mitochondria, and their behaviour in biochemical assays is consistent with the presence of a mitochondrial T2SS-derived system (miT2SS). We additionally identified 23 protein families co-occurring with miT2SS in eukaryotes. Seven of these proteins could be directly linked to the core miT2SS by functional data and/or sequence features, whereas others may represent different parts of a broader functional pathway, possibly also involving the peroxisome. Its distribution in eukaryotes and phylogenetic evidence together indicate that the miT2SS-centred pathway is an ancestral eukaryotic trait. Our findings thus have direct implications for the functional properties of the early mitochondrion. Bacteria use the type 2 secretion system to secrete enzymes and toxins across the outer membrane to the environment. Here the authors analyse the T2SS pathway in three protist lineages and suggest that the early mitochondrion may have been capable of secreting proteins into the cytosol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lenka Horváthová
- Faculty of Science, Department of Parasitology, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Vojtěch Žárský
- Faculty of Science, Department of Parasitology, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Pánek
- Faculty of Science, Department of Biology and Ecology, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology, Charles University, Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Romain Derelle
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, UK
| | - Jan Pyrih
- Laboratory of Molecular & Evolutionary Parasitology, RAPID group, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.,Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Alžběta Motyčková
- Faculty of Science, Department of Parasitology, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Klápšťová
- Faculty of Science, Department of Parasitology, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Vinopalová
- Faculty of Science, Department of Parasitology, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Marková
- Faculty of Science, Department of Parasitology, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Luboš Voleman
- Faculty of Science, Department of Parasitology, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Klimeš
- Faculty of Science, Department of Biology and Ecology, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Markéta Petrů
- Faculty of Science, Department of Parasitology, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Vaitová
- Faculty of Science, Department of Parasitology, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Ivan Čepička
- Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology, Charles University, Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Klára Hryzáková
- Faculty of Science, Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Charles University, Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Harant
- Faculty of Science, Proteomic core facility, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Michael W Gray
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Centre for Comparative Genomics and Evolutionary Bioinformatics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Mohamed Chami
- Center for Cellular Imaging and NanoAnalytics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ingrid Guilvout
- Biochemistry of Macromolecular Interactions Unit, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR3528, Paris, France
| | - Olivera Francetic
- Biochemistry of Macromolecular Interactions Unit, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR3528, Paris, France
| | - B Franz Lang
- Robert Cedergren Centre for Bioinformatics and Genomics, Département de Biochimie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Čestmír Vlček
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Anastasios D Tsaousis
- Laboratory of Molecular & Evolutionary Parasitology, RAPID group, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Marek Eliáš
- Faculty of Science, Department of Biology and Ecology, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic.
| | - Pavel Doležal
- Faculty of Science, Department of Parasitology, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic.
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Kotabova E, Malych R, Pierella Karlusich JJ, Kazamia E, Eichner M, Mach J, Lesuisse E, Bowler C, Prášil O, Sutak R. Complex Response of the Chlorarachniophyte Bigelowiella natans to Iron Availability. mSystems 2021; 6:e00738-20. [PMID: 33563784 PMCID: PMC7883536 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00738-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The productivity of the ocean is largely dependent on iron availability, and marine phytoplankton have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to cope with chronically low iron levels in vast regions of the open ocean. By analyzing the metabarcoding data generated from the Tara Oceans expedition, we determined how the global distribution of the model marine chlorarachniophyte Bigelowiella natans varies across regions with different iron concentrations. We performed a comprehensive proteomics analysis of the molecular mechanisms underpinning the adaptation of B. natans to iron scarcity and report on the temporal response of cells to iron enrichment. Our results highlight the role of phytotransferrin in iron homeostasis and indicate the involvement of CREG1 protein in the response to iron availability. Analysis of the Tara Oceans metagenomes and metatranscriptomes also points to a similar role for CREG1, which is found to be widely distributed among marine plankton but to show a strong bias in gene and transcript abundance toward iron-deficient regions. Our analyses allowed us to define a new subfamily of the CobW domain-containing COG0523 putative metal chaperones which are involved in iron metabolism and are restricted to only a few phytoplankton lineages in addition to B. natans At the physiological level, we elucidated the mechanisms allowing a fast recovery of PSII photochemistry after resupply of iron. Collectively, our study demonstrates that B. natans is well adapted to dynamically respond to a changing iron environment and suggests that CREG1 and COG0523 are important components of iron homeostasis in B. natans and other phytoplankton.IMPORTANCE Despite low iron availability in the ocean, marine phytoplankton require considerable amounts of iron for their growth and proliferation. While there is a constantly growing knowledge of iron uptake and its role in the cellular processes of the most abundant marine photosynthetic groups, there are still largely overlooked branches of the eukaryotic tree of life, such as the chlorarachniophytes. In the present work, we focused on the model chlorarachniophyte Bigelowiella natans, integrating physiological and proteomic analyses in culture conditions with the mining of omics data generated by the Tara Oceans expedition. We provide unique insight into the complex responses of B. natans to iron availability, including novel links to iron metabolism conserved in other phytoplankton lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Kotabova
- Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences, Centrum Algatech, Trebon, Czech Republic
| | - Ronald Malych
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Juan José Pierella Karlusich
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS, Département de Biologie, École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
- CNRS Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara Oceans GOSEE, Paris, France
| | - Elena Kazamia
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS, Département de Biologie, École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Meri Eichner
- Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences, Centrum Algatech, Trebon, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Mach
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Emmanuel Lesuisse
- Jacques Monod Institute, UMR7592 CNRS, Paris Diderot University, Paris, France
| | - Chris Bowler
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS, Département de Biologie, École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
- CNRS Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara Oceans GOSEE, Paris, France
| | - Ondřej Prášil
- Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences, Centrum Algatech, Trebon, Czech Republic
| | - Robert Sutak
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
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Maciver SK, McLaughlin PJ, Apps DK, Piñero JE, Lorenzo-Morales J. Opinion: Iron, Climate Change and the ‘Brain Eating Amoeba’ Naegleria fowleri. Protist 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.protis.2020.125791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Grechnikova M, Ženíšková K, Malych R, Mach J, Sutak R. Copper detoxification machinery of the brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri involves copper-translocating ATPase and the antioxidant system. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-DRUGS AND DRUG RESISTANCE 2020; 14:126-135. [PMID: 33096396 PMCID: PMC7578549 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2020.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Copper is a trace metal that is necessary for all organisms but toxic when present in excess. Different mechanisms to avoid copper toxicity have been reported to date in pathogenic organisms such as Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans. However, little if anything is known about pathogenic protozoans despite their importance in human and veterinary medicine. Naegleria fowleri is a free-living amoeba that occurs naturally in warm fresh water and can cause a rapid and deadly brain infection called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). Here, we describe the mechanisms employed by N. fowleri to tolerate high copper concentrations, which include various strategies such as copper efflux mediated by a copper-translocating ATPase and upregulation of the expression of antioxidant enzymes and obscure hemerythrin-like and protoglobin-like proteins. The combination of different mechanisms efficiently protects the cell and ensures its high copper tolerance, which can be advantageous both in the natural environment and in the host. Nevertheless, we demonstrate that copper ionophores are potent antiamoebic agents; thus, copper metabolism may be considered a therapeutic target. N. fowleri employs the combination of copper efflux and antioxidant system to ensure a high copper tolerance. Copper efflux in N. fowleri is mediated by a copper-translocating P-type ATPase. Copper ionophores have amoebicidal effect against N. fowleri and thus may be potentially used as antiamoebic agents. Iron-binding proteins hemerythrin and protoglobin are highly upregulated in N. fowleri under copper overload.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Grechnikova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Ženíšková
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Ronald Malych
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Mach
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Robert Sutak
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic.
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13
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Arbon D, Ženíšková K, Mach J, Grechnikova M, Malych R, Talacko P, Sutak R. Adaptive iron utilization compensates for the lack of an inducible uptake system in Naegleria fowleri and represents a potential target for therapeutic intervention. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0007759. [PMID: 32555641 PMCID: PMC7326272 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri is a single-cell organism living in warm freshwater that can become a deadly human pathogen known as a brain-eating amoeba. The condition caused by N. fowleri, primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, is usually a fatal infection of the brain with rapid and severe onset. Iron is a common element on earth and a crucial cofactor for all living organisms. However, its bioavailable form can be scarce in certain niches, where it becomes a factor that limits growth. To obtain iron, many pathogens use different machineries to exploit an iron-withholding strategy that has evolved in mammals and is important to host-parasite interactions. The present study demonstrates the importance of iron in the biology of N. fowleri and explores the plausibility of exploiting iron as a potential target for therapeutic intervention. We used different biochemical and analytical methods to explore the effect of decreased iron availability on the cellular processes of the amoeba. We show that, under iron starvation, nonessential, iron-dependent, mostly cytosolic pathways in N. fowleri are downregulated, while the metal is utilized in the mitochondria to maintain vital respiratory processes. Surprisingly, N. fowleri fails to respond to acute shortages of iron by inducing the reductive iron uptake system that seems to be the main iron-obtaining strategy of the parasite. Our findings suggest that iron restriction may be used to slow the progression of infection, which may make the difference between life and death for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Arbon
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, BIOCEV, Charles University, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Ženíšková
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, BIOCEV, Charles University, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Mach
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, BIOCEV, Charles University, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Maria Grechnikova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, BIOCEV, Charles University, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Ronald Malych
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, BIOCEV, Charles University, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Talacko
- BIOCEV proteomics core facility, Faculty of Science, BIOCEV, Charles University, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Robert Sutak
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, BIOCEV, Charles University, Vestec, Czech Republic
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Mach J, Sutak R. Iron in parasitic protists – from uptake to storage and where we can interfere. Metallomics 2020; 12:1335-1347. [DOI: 10.1039/d0mt00125b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
A comprehensive review of iron metabolism in parasitic protists and its potential use as a drug target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Mach
- Department of Parasitology
- Faculty of Science - BIOCEV
- Charles University
- Vestec u Prahy
- Czech Republic
| | - Robert Sutak
- Department of Parasitology
- Faculty of Science - BIOCEV
- Charles University
- Vestec u Prahy
- Czech Republic
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15
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Scheiber IF, Pilátová J, Malych R, Kotabova E, Krijt M, Vyoral D, Mach J, Léger T, Camadro JM, Prášil O, Lesuisse E, Sutak R. Copper and iron metabolism in Ostreococcus tauri – the role of phytotransferrin, plastocyanin and a chloroplast copper-transporting ATPase. Metallomics 2019; 11:1657-1666. [DOI: 10.1039/c9mt00078j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
We have identified Ostreococcus tauri major iron uptake mediating protein, phytotransferrin (Ot-FEA1), whose expression and binding of iron is copper dependent.
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Petrů M, Wideman J, Moore K, Alcock F, Palmer T, Doležal P. Evolution of mitochondrial TAT translocases illustrates the loss of bacterial protein transport machines in mitochondria. BMC Biol 2018; 16:141. [PMID: 30466434 PMCID: PMC6251230 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-018-0607-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bacteria and mitochondria contain translocases that function to transport proteins across or insert proteins into their inner and outer membranes. Extant mitochondria retain some bacterial-derived translocases but have lost others. While BamA and YidC were integrated into general mitochondrial protein transport pathways (as Sam50 and Oxa1), the inner membrane TAT translocase, which uniquely transports folded proteins across the membrane, was retained sporadically across the eukaryote tree. RESULTS We have identified mitochondrial TAT machinery in diverse eukaryotic lineages and define three different types of eukaryote-encoded TatABC-derived machineries (TatAC, TatBC and TatC-only). Here, we investigate TatAC and TatC-only machineries, which have not been studied previously. We show that mitochondria-encoded TatAC of the jakobid Andalucia godoyi represent the minimal functional pathway capable of substituting for the Escherichia coli TatABC complex and can transport at least one substrate. However, selected TatC-only machineries, from multiple eukaryotic lineages, were not capable of supporting the translocation of this substrate across the bacterial membrane. Despite the multiple losses of the TatC gene from the mitochondrial genome, the gene was never transferred to the cell nucleus. Although the major constraint preventing nuclear transfer of mitochondrial TatC is likely its high hydrophobicity, we show that in chloroplasts, such transfer of TatC was made possible due to modifications of the first transmembrane domain. CONCLUSIONS At its origin, mitochondria inherited three inner membrane translocases Sec, TAT and Oxa1 (YidC) from its bacterial ancestor. Our work shows for the first time that mitochondrial TAT has likely retained its unique function of transporting folded proteins at least in those few eukaryotes with TatA and TatC subunits encoded in the mitochondrial genome. However, mitochondria, in contrast to chloroplasts, abandoned the machinery multiple times in evolution. The overall lower hydrophobicity of the Oxa1 protein was likely the main reason why this translocase was nearly universally retained in mitochondrial biogenesis pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markéta Petrů
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, BIOCEV, Charles University, Průmyslová 595, 252 50, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Jeremy Wideman
- Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Wallotstrasse 19, 14193, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, PO Box 15000, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Kristoffer Moore
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Felicity Alcock
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Tracy Palmer
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Pavel Doležal
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, BIOCEV, Charles University, Průmyslová 595, 252 50, Vestec, Czech Republic.
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