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Saraiva FMS, Cosentino-Gomes D, Inacio JDF, Almeida-Amaral EE, Louzada-Neto O, Rossini A, Nogueira NP, Meyer-Fernandes JR, Paes MC. Hypoxia Effects on Trypanosoma cruzi Epimastigotes Proliferation, Differentiation, and Energy Metabolism. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11080897. [PMID: 36015018 PMCID: PMC9416468 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11080897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, faces changes in redox status and nutritional availability during its life cycle. However, the influence of oxygen fluctuation upon the biology of T. cruzi is unclear. The present work investigated the response of T. cruzi epimastigotes to hypoxia. The parasites showed an adaptation to the hypoxic condition, presenting an increase in proliferation and a reduction in metacyclogenesis. Additionally, parasites cultured in hypoxia produced more reactive oxygen species (ROS) compared to parasites cultured in normoxia. The analyses of the mitochondrial physiology demonstrated that hypoxic condition induced a decrease in both oxidative phosphorylation and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) in epimastigotes. In spite of that, ATP levels of parasites cultivated in hypoxia increased. The hypoxic condition also increased the expression of the hexokinase and NADH fumarate reductase genes and reduced NAD(P)H, suggesting that this increase in ATP levels of hypoxia-challenged parasites was a consequence of increased glycolysis and fermentation pathways. Taken together, our results suggest that decreased oxygen levels trigger a shift in the bioenergetic metabolism of T. cruzi epimastigotes, favoring ROS production and fermentation to sustain ATP production, allowing the parasite to survive and proliferate in the insect vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francis M. S. Saraiva
- Trypanosomatids and Vectors Interaction Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Roberto Alcantara Gomes Institute of Biology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 20550-013, Brazil
| | - Daniela Cosentino-Gomes
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo De Meis, Center for Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-901, Brazil
| | - Job D. F. Inacio
- Tripanosomatide Biochemistry Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Elmo E. Almeida-Amaral
- Tripanosomatide Biochemistry Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Orlando Louzada-Neto
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Molecular Biology, Department of Biochemistry, IBRAG- UERJ, Rio de Janeiro 20511-010, Brazil
| | - Ana Rossini
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Molecular Biology, Department of Biochemistry, IBRAG- UERJ, Rio de Janeiro 20511-010, Brazil
| | - Natália P. Nogueira
- Trypanosomatids and Vectors Interaction Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Roberto Alcantara Gomes Institute of Biology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 20550-013, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology—Molecular Entomology (INCT-EM), Brasília 70000-000, Brazil
| | - José R. Meyer-Fernandes
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo De Meis, Center for Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-901, Brazil
| | - Marcia C. Paes
- Trypanosomatids and Vectors Interaction Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Roberto Alcantara Gomes Institute of Biology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 20550-013, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology—Molecular Entomology (INCT-EM), Brasília 70000-000, Brazil
- Correspondence:
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Cortez DR, Lima FM, Reis-Cunha JL, Bartholomeu DC, Villacis RAR, Rogatto SR, Costa-Martins AG, Marchiano FS, do Carmo RA, da Silveira JF, Marini MM. Trypanosoma cruzi Genomic Variability: Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization Analysis of Clone and Parental Strain. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:760830. [PMID: 35402315 PMCID: PMC8992781 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.760830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, exhibits extensive inter- and intrastrain genetic diversity. As we have previously described, there are some genetic differences between the parental G strain and its clone D11, which was isolated by the limiting dilution method and infection of cultured mammalian cells. Electrophoretic karyotyping and Southern blot hybridization of chromosomal bands with specific markers revealed chromosome length polymorphisms of small size with additional chromosomal bands in clone D11 and the maintenance of large syntenic groups. Both G strain and clone D11 belong to the T. cruzi lineage TcI. Here, we designed intraspecific array-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) to identify chromosomal regions harboring copy-number variations between clone D11 and the G strain. DNA losses were more extensive than DNA gains in clone D11. Most alterations were flanked by repeated sequences from multigene families that could be involved in the duplication and deletion events. Several rearrangements were detected by chromoblot hybridization and confirmed by aCGH. We have integrated the information of genomic sequence data obtained by aCGH to the electrophoretic karyotype, allowing the reconstruction of possible recombination events that could have generated the karyotype of clone D11. These rearrangements may be explained by unequal crossing over between sister or homologous chromatids mediated by flanking repeated sequences and unequal homologous recombination via break-induced replication. The genomic changes detected by aCGH suggest the presence of a dynamic genome that responds to environmental stress by varying the number of gene copies and generating segmental aneuploidy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Rodrigues Cortez
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fabio Mitsuo Lima
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Centro Universitário São Camilo, Biomedicina, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - João Luís Reis-Cunha
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | | | - Silvia Regina Rogatto
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Institute of Regional Health Research, University of Southern Denmark, Vejle, Denmark
| | - André Guilherme Costa-Martins
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Sycko Marchiano
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rafaela Andrade do Carmo
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jose Franco da Silveira
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Marjorie Mendes Marini, ; Jose Franco da Silveira,
| | - Marjorie Mendes Marini
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Centro Universitário São Camilo, Biomedicina, São Paulo, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Marjorie Mendes Marini, ; Jose Franco da Silveira,
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Performance Evaluation of a Commercial Real-Time PCR Assay and of an In-House Real-Time PCR for Trypanosoma cruzi DNA Detection in a Tropical Medicine Reference Center, Northern Italy. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8111692. [PMID: 33143253 PMCID: PMC7692395 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8111692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, a neglected protozoal disease endemic in Latin America, is also currently considered an emerging threat in nonendemic areas because of population movements. The detection of Trypanosoma cruzi DNA is increasingly being considered as important evidence to support Chagas disease diagnoses. However, further performance evaluation of molecular assays is useful for a standardization of strategy considering the whole process in routine diagnosis, especially for the different settings such as endemic and nonendemic countries. Seventy-five samples were collected from subjects screened for Chagas disease in Italy. The DNA was isolated from blood using automated extraction. We evaluated the performance of the commercial RealCycler® CHAG kit (pmPCR) based on satellite DNA (SatDNA) and of an in-house real-time PCR (ihPCR) targeting Sat and kinetoplast (k) DNAs, using the concordance of two serology assays as a reference standard. The sensitivity of kDNA and SatDNA tests by ihPCR and SatDNA by pmPCR were 14.29% (95% confidence interval (CI) 6.38 to 26.22), 7.14% (95% CI 1.98 to 17.29), and 7.14% (95% CI 1.98 to 17.29), respectively. Specificity was 100% for all PCR assays and targets. Overall, our results suggest that the preferred approach for clinical laboratories is to combine the kDNA and SatDNA as targets in order to minimize false-negative results increasing sensitivity.
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Identification of Novel Interspersed DNA Repetitive Elements in the Trypanosoma cruzi Genome Associated with the 3'UTRs of Surface Multigenic Families. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11101235. [PMID: 33096822 PMCID: PMC7593948 DOI: 10.3390/genes11101235] [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: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiological agent of Chagas disease, which affects millions of people in Latin America. No transcriptional control of gene expression has been demonstrated in this organism, and 50% of its genome consists of repetitive elements and members of multigenic families. In this study, we applied a novel bioinformatics approach to predict new repetitive elements in the genome sequence of T. cruzi. A new repetitive sequence measuring 241 nt was identified and found to be interspersed along the genome sequence from strains of different DTUs. This new repeat was mostly on intergenic regions, and upstream and downstream regions of the 241 nt repeat were enriched in surface protein genes. RNAseq analysis revealed that the repeat was part of processed mRNAs and was predominantly found in the 3′ untranslated regions (UTRs) of genes of multigenic families encoding surface proteins. Moreover, we detected a correlation between the presence of the repeat in the 3′UTR of multigenic family genes and the level of differential expression of these genes when comparing epimastigote and trypomastigote transcriptomes. These data suggest that this sequence plays a role in the posttranscriptional regulation of the expression of multigenic families.
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Genomic Organization and Generation of Genetic Variability in the RHS (Retrotransposon Hot Spot) Protein Multigene Family in Trypanosoma cruzi. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11091085. [PMID: 32957642 PMCID: PMC7563717 DOI: 10.3390/genes11091085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Retrotransposon Hot Spot (RHS) is the most abundant gene family in Trypanosoma cruzi, with unknown function in this parasite. The aim of this work was to shed light on the organization and expression of RHS in T. cruzi. The diversity of the RHS protein family in T. cruzi was demonstrated by phylogenetic and recombination analyses. Transcribed sequences carrying the RHS domain were classified into ten distinct groups of monophyletic origin. We identified numerous recombination events among the RHS and traced the origins of the donors and target sequences. The transcribed RHS genes have a mosaic structure that may contain fragments of different RHS inserted in the target sequence. About 30% of RHS sequences are located in the subtelomere, a region very susceptible to recombination. The evolution of the RHS family has been marked by many events, including gene duplication by unequal mitotic crossing-over, homologous, as well as ectopic recombination, and gene conversion. The expression of RHS was analyzed by immunofluorescence and immunoblotting using anti-RHS antibodies. RHS proteins are evenly distributed in the nuclear region of T. cruzi replicative forms (amastigote and epimastigote), suggesting that they could be involved in the control of the chromatin structure and gene expression, as has been proposed for T. brucei.
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New perspectives for hydrogen peroxide in the amastigogenesis of Trypanosoma cruzi in vitro. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2020; 1866:165951. [PMID: 32861766 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2020.165951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi has a complex life cycle involving four life stages: the replicative epimastigotes and metacyclic trypomastigotes in the invertebrate host digestive tract, and intracellular amastigotes and bloodstream trypomastigotes in the mammalian host. Trypomastigotes can invade any nucleated cell, including macrophages, which produce ROS that enhance intracellular infection. However, how ROS modulate T. cruzi infection in the mammalian cell remains unclear. Therefore, the present work aimed to investigate the role of ROS during the stimulation of amastigogenesis in vitro. Our results showed that H2O2 improves the differentiation process in vitro and that it was impaired by Peg-Catalase. However, the antioxidants GSH and NAC had no influence on induced amastigogenesis, which suggests the specificity of H2O2 to increase intracellular differentiation. Amastigogenesis physiologically occurs in low pH, thus we investigated whether parasites are able to produce ROS during amastigogenesis. Interestingly, after 60 min of differentiation induction in vitro, we observed an increase in H2O2 production, which was inhibited by the mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant, mitoTEMPO and Cyclosporine A (a mitochondrial permeability transition pore -mPTP- inhibitor), suggesting mitochondrion as a H2O2 source. Indeed, quantitative real time (qPCR) showed an increase of the mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (FeSODA) gene expression after 60 min of induced amastigogenesis, reinforcing the hypothesis of mitochondrial ROS induction during intracellular differentiation of T. cruzi. The reduction of cellular respiration and the decreased ΔΨm observed during amastigogenesis can explain the increased mitochondrial ROS through mPTP opening. In conclusion, our results suggest that H2O2 is involved in the amastigogenesis of T. cruzi.
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Paes MC, Saraiva FMS, Nogueira NP, Vieira CSD, Dias FA, Rossini A, Coelho VL, Pane A, Sang F, Alcocer M. Gene expression profiling of Trypanosoma cruzi in the presence of heme points to glycosomal metabolic adaptation of epimastigotes inside the vector. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0007945. [PMID: 31895927 PMCID: PMC6959606 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, also known as American trypanosomiasis, is a potentially life-threatening illness caused by the protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, and is transmitted by triatomine insects during its blood meal. Proliferative epimastigotes forms thrive inside the insects in the presence of heme (iron protoporphyrin IX), an abundant product of blood digestion, however little is known about the metabolic outcome of this signaling molecule in the parasite. Trypanosomatids exhibit unusual gene transcription employing a polycistronic transcription mechanism through trans-splicing that regulates its life cycle. Using the Deep Seq transcriptome sequencing we characterized the heme induced transcriptome of epimastigotes and determined that most of the upregulated genes were related to glucose metabolism inside the glycosomes. These results were supported by the upregulation of glycosomal isoforms of PEPCK and fumarate reductase of heme-treated parasites, implying that the fermentation process was favored. Moreover, the downregulation of mitochondrial gene enzymes in the presence of heme also supported the hypothesis that heme shifts the parasite glycosomal glucose metabolism towards aerobic fermentation. These results are examples of the environmental metabolic plasticity inside the vector supporting ATP production, promoting epimastigotes proliferation and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcia C. Paes
- Laboratório de Interação Tripanossomatídeos e Vetores—Departamento de Bioquímica, IBRAG–UERJ–Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia—Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM)–Brazil
- * E-mail: (MCP); (MA)
| | - Francis M. S. Saraiva
- Laboratório de Interação Tripanossomatídeos e Vetores—Departamento de Bioquímica, IBRAG–UERJ–Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Natália P. Nogueira
- Laboratório de Interação Tripanossomatídeos e Vetores—Departamento de Bioquímica, IBRAG–UERJ–Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia—Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM)–Brazil
| | - Carolina S. D. Vieira
- Laboratório de Interação Tripanossomatídeos e Vetores—Departamento de Bioquímica, IBRAG–UERJ–Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Felipe A. Dias
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia—Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM)–Brazil
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ana Rossini
- Laboratório de Toxicologia e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Bioquímica, IBRAG- UERJ- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Vitor Lima Coelho
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Attilio Pane
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fei Sang
- Deep Seq, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Marcos Alcocer
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (MCP); (MA)
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Hagström L, Marques ALP, Nitz N, Hecht MM. The use of qPCR in human Chagas disease: a systematic review. Expert Rev Mol Diagn 2019; 19:875-894. [DOI: 10.1080/14737159.2019.1659729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Luciana Hagström
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Biociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Ana Luisa Pereira Marques
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Biociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Nadjar Nitz
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Biociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Mariana Machado Hecht
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Biociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Brasília, Brazil
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Pita S, Díaz-Viraqué F, Iraola G, Robello C. The Tritryps Comparative Repeatome: Insights on Repetitive Element Evolution in Trypanosomatid Pathogens. Genome Biol Evol 2019; 11:546-551. [PMID: 30715360 PMCID: PMC6390901 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evz017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The major human pathogens Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei, and Leishmania major are collectively known as the Tritryps. The initial comparative analysis of their genomes has uncovered that Tritryps share a great number of genes, but repetitive DNA seems to be extremely variable between them. However, the in-depth characterization of repetitive DNA in these pathogens has been in part neglected, mainly due to the well-known technical challenges of studying repetitive sequences from de novo assemblies using short reads. Here, we compared the repetitive DNA repertories between the Tritryps genomes using genome-wide, low-coverage Illumina sequencing coupled to RepeatExplorer analysis. Our work demonstrates that this extensively implemented approach for studying higher eukaryote repeatomes is also useful for protozoan parasites like trypanosomatids, as we recovered previously observed differences in the presence and amount of repetitive DNA families. Additionally, our estimations of repetitive DNA abundance were comparable to those obtained from enhanced-quality assemblies using longer reads. Importantly, our methodology allowed us to describe a previously undescribed transposable element in Leishmania major (TATE element), highlighting its potential to accurately recover distinctive features from poorly characterized repeatomes. Together, our results support the application of this low-cost, low-coverage sequencing approach for the extensive characterization of repetitive DNA evolutionary dynamics in trypanosomatid and other protozoan genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastián Pita
- Laboratory of Host Pathogen Interactions, Unidad de Biología Molecular, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay.,Sección Genética Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Florencia Díaz-Viraqué
- Laboratory of Host Pathogen Interactions, Unidad de Biología Molecular, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Gregorio Iraola
- Microbial Genomics Laboratory, Institut Pasteur Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay.,Centro de Biología Integrativa, Universidad Mayor, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Carlos Robello
- Laboratory of Host Pathogen Interactions, Unidad de Biología Molecular, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay.,Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
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Ramírez JC, Torres C, Curto MDLA, Schijman AG. New insights into Trypanosoma cruzi evolution, genotyping and molecular diagnostics from satellite DNA sequence analysis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0006139. [PMID: 29253860 PMCID: PMC5749901 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Revised: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi has been subdivided into seven Discrete Typing Units (DTUs), TcI-TcVI and Tcbat. Two major evolutionary models have been proposed to explain the origin of hybrid lineages, but while it is widely accepted that TcV and TcVI are the result of genetic exchange between TcII and TcIII strains, the origin of TcIII and TcIV is still a matter of debate. T. cruzi satellite DNA (SatDNA), comprised of 195 bp units organized in tandem repeats, from both TcV and TcVI stocks were found to have SatDNA copies type TcI and TcII; whereas contradictory results were observed for TcIII stocks and no TcIV sequence has been analyzed yet. Herein, we have gone deeper into this matter analyzing 335 distinct SatDNA sequences from 19 T. cruzi stocks representative of DTUs TcI-TcVI for phylogenetic inference. Bayesian phylogenetic tree showed that all sequences were grouped in three major clusters, which corresponded to sequences from DTUs TcI/III, TcII and TcIV; whereas TcV and TcVI stocks had two sets of sequences distributed into TcI/III and TcII clusters. As expected, the lowest genetic distances were found between TcI and TcIII, and between TcV and TcVI sequences; whereas the highest ones were observed between TcII and TcI/III, and among TcIV sequences and those from the remaining DTUs. In addition, signature patterns associated to specific T. cruzi lineages were identified and new primers that improved SatDNA-based qPCR sensitivity were designed. Our findings support the theory that TcIII is not the result of a hybridization event between TcI and TcII, and that TcIV had an independent origin from the other DTUs, contributing to clarifying the evolutionary history of T. cruzi lineages. Moreover, this work opens the possibility of typing samples from Chagas disease patients with low parasitic loads and improving molecular diagnostic methods of T. cruzi infection based on SatDNA sequence amplification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan C. Ramírez
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular de la Enfermedad de Chagas, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres" (INGEBI), CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- * E-mail: (JCR); (AGS)
| | - Carolina Torres
- Departamento de Microbiología, Inmunología y Biotecnología, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María de los A. Curto
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular de la Enfermedad de Chagas, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres" (INGEBI), CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alejandro G. Schijman
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular de la Enfermedad de Chagas, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres" (INGEBI), CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- * E-mail: (JCR); (AGS)
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11
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Seiringer P, Pritsch M, Flores-Chavez M, Marchisio E, Helfrich K, Mengele C, Hohnerlein S, Bretzel G, Löscher T, Hoelscher M, Berens-Riha N. Comparison of four PCR methods for efficient detection of Trypanosoma cruzi in routine diagnostics. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2017; 88:225-232. [PMID: 28456430 DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2017.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2016] [Revised: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Due to increased migration, Chagas disease has become an international health problem. Reliable diagnosis of chronically infected people is crucial for prevention of non-vectorial transmission as well as treatment. This study compared four distinct PCR methods for detection of Trypanosoma cruzi DNA for the use in well-equipped routine diagnostic laboratories. DNA was extracted of T. cruzi-positive and negative patients' blood samples and cultured T. cruzi, T. rangeli as well as Leishmania spp. One conventional and two real-time PCR methods targeting a repetitive Sat-DNA sequence as well as one conventional PCR method targeting the variable region of the kDNA minicircle were compared for sensitivity, intra- and interassay precision, limit of detection, specificity and cross-reactivity. Considering the performance, costs and ease of use, an algorithm for PCR-diagnosis of patients with a positive serology for T. cruzi antibodies was developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Seiringer
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical Center of the University of Munich (LMU), Leopoldstr. 5, 80802 Munich, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | - Michael Pritsch
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical Center of the University of Munich (LMU), Leopoldstr. 5, 80802 Munich, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | - María Flores-Chavez
- Servicio de Parasitología, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ctra. Majadahonda-Pozuelo km 2, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Edoardo Marchisio
- Dia.Pro Diagnostic BioProbes srl, Via Giosuè n°27, 20099 Sesto San Giovanni, Milan, Italy.
| | - Kerstin Helfrich
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical Center of the University of Munich (LMU), Leopoldstr. 5, 80802 Munich, Germany.
| | - Carolin Mengele
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical Center of the University of Munich (LMU), Leopoldstr. 5, 80802 Munich, Germany.
| | - Stefan Hohnerlein
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical Center of the University of Munich (LMU), Leopoldstr. 5, 80802 Munich, Germany.
| | - Gisela Bretzel
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical Center of the University of Munich (LMU), Leopoldstr. 5, 80802 Munich, Germany.
| | - Thomas Löscher
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical Center of the University of Munich (LMU), Leopoldstr. 5, 80802 Munich, Germany.
| | - Michael Hoelscher
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical Center of the University of Munich (LMU), Leopoldstr. 5, 80802 Munich, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | - Nicole Berens-Riha
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical Center of the University of Munich (LMU), Leopoldstr. 5, 80802 Munich, Germany.
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Hernández C, Cucunubá Z, Flórez C, Olivera M, Valencia C, Zambrano P, León C, Ramírez JD. Molecular Diagnosis of Chagas Disease in Colombia: Parasitic Loads and Discrete Typing Units in Patients from Acute and Chronic Phases. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0004997. [PMID: 27648938 PMCID: PMC5029947 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2016] [Accepted: 08/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The diagnosis of Chagas disease is complex due to the dynamics of parasitemia in the clinical phases of the disease. The molecular tests have been considered promissory because they detect the parasite in all clinical phases. Trypanosoma cruzi presents significant genetic variability and is classified into six Discrete Typing Units TcI-TcVI (DTUs) with the emergence of foreseen genotypes within TcI as TcIDom and TcI Sylvatic. The objective of this study was to determine the operating characteristics of molecular tests (conventional and Real Time PCR) for the detection of T. cruzi DNA, parasitic loads and DTUs in a large cohort of Colombian patients from acute and chronic phases. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Samples were obtained from 708 patients in all clinical phases. Standard diagnosis (direct and serological tests) and molecular tests (conventional PCR and quantitative PCR) targeting the nuclear satellite DNA region. The genotyping was performed by PCR using the intergenic region of the mini-exon gene, the 24Sa, 18S and A10 regions. The operating capabilities showed that performance of qPCR was higher compared to cPCR. Likewise, the performance of qPCR was significantly higher in acute phase compared with chronic phase. The median parasitic loads detected were 4.69 and 1.33 parasite equivalents/mL for acute and chronic phases. The main DTU identified was TcI (74.2%). TcIDom genotype was significantly more frequent in chronic phase compared to acute phase (82.1% vs 16.6%). The median parasitic load for TcIDom was significantly higher compared with TcI Sylvatic in chronic phase (2.58 vs.0.75 parasite equivalents/ml). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE The molecular tests are a precise tool to complement the standard diagnosis of Chagas disease, specifically in acute phase showing high discriminative power. However, it is necessary to improve the sensitivity of molecular tests in chronic phase. The frequency and parasitemia of TcIDom genotype in chronic patients highlight its possible relationship to the chronicity of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Hernández
- Red Chagas Colombia, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
- Grupo de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Zulma Cucunubá
- Red Chagas Colombia, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
- Grupo de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Carolina Flórez
- Red Chagas Colombia, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
- Grupo de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Mario Olivera
- Red Chagas Colombia, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
- Grupo de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Carlos Valencia
- Red Chagas Colombia, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
- Grupo de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Pilar Zambrano
- Grupo de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Cielo León
- Red Chagas Colombia, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
- Grupo de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Juan David Ramírez
- Grupo de Investigaciones Microbiológicas-UR (GIMUR), Programa de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Matemáticas, Universidad el Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
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Reis-Cunha JL, Rodrigues-Luiz GF, Valdivia HO, Baptista RP, Mendes TAO, de Morais GL, Guedes R, Macedo AM, Bern C, Gilman RH, Lopez CT, Andersson B, Vasconcelos AT, Bartholomeu DC. Chromosomal copy number variation reveals differential levels of genomic plasticity in distinct Trypanosoma cruzi strains. BMC Genomics 2015; 16:499. [PMID: 26141959 PMCID: PMC4491234 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-1680-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2015] [Accepted: 06/01/2015] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, is currently divided into six discrete typing units (DTUs), named TcI-TcVI. CL Brener, the reference strain of the T. cruzi genome project, is a hybrid with a genome assembled into 41 putative chromosomes. Gene copy number variation (CNV) is well documented as an important mechanism to enhance gene expression and variability in T. cruzi. Chromosomal CNV (CCNV) is another level of gene CNV in which whole blocks of genes are expanded simultaneously. Although the T. cruzi karyotype is not well defined, several studies have demonstrated a significant variation in the size and content of chromosomes between different T. cruzi strains. Despite these studies, the extent of diversity in CCNV among T. cruzi strains based on a read depth coverage analysis has not been determined. RESULTS We identify the CCNV in T. cruzi strains from the TcI, TcII and TcIII DTUs, by analyzing the depth coverage of short reads from these strains using the 41 CL Brener chromosomes as reference. This study led to the identification of a broader extent of CCNV in T. cruzi than was previously speculated. The TcI DTU strains have very few aneuploidies, while the strains from TcII and TcIII DTUs present a high degree of chromosomal expansions. Chromosome 31, which is the only chromosome that is supernumerary in all six T. cruzi samples evaluated in this study, is enriched with genes related to glycosylation pathways, highlighting the importance of glycosylation to parasite survival. CONCLUSIONS Increased gene copy number due to chromosome amplification may contribute to alterations in gene expression, which represents a strategy that may be crucial for parasites that mainly depend on post-transcriptional mechanisms to control gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Luís Reis-Cunha
- Laboratório de Imunologia e Genômica de Parasitos, Departamento deParasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | - Gabriela F Rodrigues-Luiz
- Laboratório de Imunologia e Genômica de Parasitos, Departamento deParasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | - Hugo O Valdivia
- Laboratório de Imunologia e Genômica de Parasitos, Departamento deParasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | - Rodrigo P Baptista
- Laboratório de Imunologia e Genômica de Parasitos, Departamento deParasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | - Tiago A O Mendes
- Laboratório de Imunologia e Genômica de Parasitos, Departamento deParasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | | | - Rafael Guedes
- Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica, Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Andrea M Macedo
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | - Caryn Bern
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Robert H Gilman
- Universidad Cayetano Heredia, Lima, MD, Peru.
- Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Carlos Talavera Lopez
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Björn Andersson
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | | | - Daniella C Bartholomeu
- Laboratório de Imunologia e Genômica de Parasitos, Departamento deParasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
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14
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Nogueira NP, Saraiva FMS, Sultano PE, Cunha PRBB, Laranja GAT, Justo GA, Sabino KCC, Coelho MGP, Rossini A, Atella GC, Paes MC. Proliferation and differentiation of Trypanosoma cruzi inside its vector have a new trigger: redox status. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0116712. [PMID: 25671543 PMCID: PMC4324650 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0116712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2014] [Accepted: 12/13/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi proliferate and differentiate inside different compartments of triatomines gut that is the first environment encountered by T. cruzi. Due to its complex life cycle, the parasite is constantly exposed to reactive oxygen species (ROS). We tested the influence of the pro-oxidant molecules H2O2 and the superoxide generator, Paraquat, as well as, metabolism products of the vector, with distinct redox status, in the proliferation and metacyclogenesis. These molecules are heme, hemozoin and urate. We also tested the antioxidants NAC and GSH. Heme induced the proliferation of epimastigotes and impaired the metacyclogenesis. β-hematin, did not affect epimastigote proliferation but decreased parasite differentiation. Conversely, we show that urate, GSH and NAC dramatically impaired epimastigote proliferation and during metacyclogenesis, NAC and urate induced a significant increment of trypomastigotes and decreased the percentage of epimastigotes. We also quantified the parasite loads in the anterior and posterior midguts and in the rectum of the vector by qPCR. The treatment with the antioxidants increased the parasite loads in all midgut sections analyzed. In vivo, the group of vectors fed with reduced molecules showed an increment of trypomastigotes and decreased epimastigotes when analyzed by differential counting. Heme stimulated proliferation by increasing the cell number in the S and G2/M phases, whereas NAC arrested epimastigotes in G1 phase. NAC greatly increased the percentage of trypomastigotes. Taken together, these data show a shift in the triatomine gut microenvironment caused by the redox status may also influence T. cruzi biology inside the vector. In this scenario, oxidants act to turn on epimastigote proliferation while antioxidants seem to switch the cycle towards metacyclogenesis. This is a new insight that defines a key role for redox metabolism in governing the parasitic life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natália P. Nogueira
- Laboratório de Interação Tripanossomatídeos e Vetores—Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes (IBRAG), Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Francis M. S. Saraiva
- Laboratório de Interação Tripanossomatídeos e Vetores—Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes (IBRAG), Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Pedro E. Sultano
- Laboratório de Interação Tripanossomatídeos e Vetores—Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes (IBRAG), Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Paula R. B. B. Cunha
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Lipídeos e Lipoproteínas-Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis (IBqM), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ)—Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Gustavo A. T. Laranja
- Laboratório de Interação Tripanossomatídeos e Vetores—Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes (IBRAG), Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Graça A. Justo
- Laboratório de Imunologia Aplicada à Bioquímica de Proteínas e Produtos Naturais—Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes (IBRAG), Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Kátia C. C. Sabino
- Laboratório de Imunologia Aplicada à Bioquímica de Proteínas e Produtos Naturais—Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes (IBRAG), Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Marsen G. P. Coelho
- Laboratório de Imunologia Aplicada à Bioquímica de Proteínas e Produtos Naturais—Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes (IBRAG), Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Ana Rossini
- Laboratório de Toxicologia e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes (IBRAG), Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Georgia C. Atella
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia—Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM)—Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Lipídeos e Lipoproteínas-Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis (IBqM), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ)—Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Marcia C. Paes
- Laboratório de Interação Tripanossomatídeos e Vetores—Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes (IBRAG), Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia—Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM)—Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
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Emadzade K, Jang TS, Macas J, Kovařík A, Novák P, Parker J, Weiss-Schneeweiss H. Differential amplification of satellite PaB6 in chromosomally hypervariable Prospero autumnale complex (Hyacinthaceae). ANNALS OF BOTANY 2014; 114:1597-608. [PMID: 25169019 PMCID: PMC4273535 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcu178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Chromosomal evolution, including numerical and structural changes, is a major force in plant diversification and speciation. This study addresses genomic changes associated with the extensive chromosomal variation of the Mediterranean Prospero autumnale complex (Hyacinthaceae), which includes four diploid cytotypes each with a unique combination of chromosome number (x = 5, 6, 7), rDNA loci and genome size. METHODS A new satellite repeat PaB6 has previously been identified, and monomers were reconstructed from next-generation sequencing (NGS) data of P. autumnale cytotype B(6)B(6) (2n = 12). Monomers of all other Prospero cytotypes and species were sequenced to check for lineage-specific mutations. Copy number, restriction patterns and methylation levels of PaB6 were analysed using Southern blotting. PaB6 was localized on chromosomes using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). KEY RESULTS The monomer of PaB6 is 249 bp long, contains several intact and truncated vertebrate-type telomeric repeats and is highly methylated. PaB6 is exceptional because of its high copy number and unprecedented variation among diploid cytotypes, ranging from 10(4) to 10(6) copies per 1C. PaB6 is always located in pericentromeric regions of several to all chromosomes. Additionally, two lineages of cytotype B(7)B(7) (x = 7), possessing either a single or duplicated 5S rDNA locus, differ in PaB6 copy number; the ancestral condition of a single locus is associated with higher PaB6 copy numbers. CONCLUSIONS Although present in all Prospero species, PaB6 has undergone differential amplification only in chromosomally variable P. autumnale, particularly in cytotypes B(6)B(6) and B(5)B(5). These arose via independent chromosomal fusions from x = 7 to x = 6 and 5, respectively, accompanied by genome size increases. The copy numbers of satellite DNA PaB6 are among the highest in angiosperms, and changes of PaB6 are exceptionally dynamic in this group of closely related cytotypes of a single species. The evolution of the PaB6 copy numbers is discussed, and it is suggested that PaB6 represents a recent and highly dynamic system originating from a small pool of ancestral repeats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khatere Emadzade
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, A-1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Tae-Soo Jang
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, A-1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jiří Macas
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Ales Kovařík
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biophysics, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Novák
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - John Parker
- Cambridge University Botanic Garden, Cambridge CB2 1JF, UK
| | - Hanna Weiss-Schneeweiss
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, A-1030 Vienna, Austria
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16
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Pavia PX, Thomas MC, López MC, Puerta CJ. Molecular characterization of the short interspersed repetitive element SIRE in the six discrete typing units (DTUs) of Trypanosoma cruzi. Exp Parasitol 2012; 132:144-50. [PMID: 22750455 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2012.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2011] [Revised: 06/06/2012] [Accepted: 06/13/2012] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Repetitive sequences constitute an important proportion of the Trypanosoma cruzi genome; hence, they have been used as molecular markers and as amplification targets to identify the parasite presence via PCR. In this study, a molecular characterization of the SIRE repetitive element was performed in the six discrete typing units (DTUs) of T. cruzi. The results evidenced that this element, located in multiple chromosomes, was interspersed in the genome of all DTUs of the parasite. The presence of several motifs implicated in element insertion, duplication, and functionality suggests that SIRE could be an active element in the parasite genome. Of interest, there were SIRE specific Alu I fragments that allowed to discriminate DTU I from the others DTUs. Moreover, an UPGMA phenetic tree constructed from fragment sharing Southern blot data showed that T. cruzi I isolates conform a cluster separated from the T. cruzi II-VI isolates. When the relative number of SIRE copies was determined, a variation from 105 to 2,000 copies per haploid genome was observed among the different isolates without kept a DTU-relationship. In all, these findings suggest that SIRE sequence is a good target for parasite DNA amplification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula X Pavia
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Carrera 7 No 43-82,Edificio Félix Restrepo, Oficina 608, Bogotá, Colombia.
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Zingales B, Miles MA, Campbell DA, Tibayrenc M, Macedo AM, Teixeira MMG, Schijman AG, Llewellyn MS, Lages-Silva E, Machado CR, Andrade SG, Sturm NR. The revised Trypanosoma cruzi subspecific nomenclature: rationale, epidemiological relevance and research applications. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2011; 12:240-53. [PMID: 22226704 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2011.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 610] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2011] [Accepted: 12/16/2011] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
The protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, its mammalian reservoirs, and vectors have existed in nature for millions of years. The human infection, named Chagas disease, is a major public health problem for Latin America. T. cruzi is genetically highly diverse and the understanding of the population structure of this parasite is critical because of the links to transmission cycles and disease. At present, T. cruzi is partitioned into six discrete typing units (DTUs), TcI-TcVI. Here we focus on the current status of taxonomy-related areas such as population structure, phylogeographical and eco-epidemiological features, and the correlation of DTU with natural and experimental infection. We also summarize methods for DTU genotyping, available for widespread use in endemic areas. For the immediate future multilocus sequence typing is likely to be the gold standard for population studies. We conclude that greater advances in our knowledge on pathogenic and epidemiological features of these parasites are expected in the coming decade through the comparative analysis of the genomes from isolates of various DTUs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Zingales
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Professor Lineu Prestes 748, 05508-000 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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18
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The short non-coding transcriptome of the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2011; 5:e1283. [PMID: 21912713 PMCID: PMC3166047 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2011] [Accepted: 07/04/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathway for RNA interference is widespread in metazoans and participates in numerous cellular tasks, from gene silencing to chromatin remodeling and protection against retrotransposition. The unicellular eukaryote Trypanosoma cruzi is missing the canonical RNAi pathway and is unable to induce RNAi-related processes. To further understand alternative RNA pathways operating in this organism, we have performed deep sequencing and genome-wide analyses of a size-fractioned cDNA library (16–61 nt) from the epimastigote life stage. Deep sequencing generated 582,243 short sequences of which 91% could be aligned with the genome sequence. About 95–98% of the aligned data (depending on the haplotype) corresponded to small RNAs derived from tRNAs, rRNAs, snRNAs and snoRNAs. The largest class consisted of tRNA-derived small RNAs which primarily originated from the 3′ end of tRNAs, followed by small RNAs derived from rRNA. The remaining sequences revealed the presence of 92 novel transcribed loci, of which 79 did not show homology to known RNA classes. Chagas' disease is a major health problem in Latin America and is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. T. cruzi lacks the pathway for RNA interference, which is widespread among eukaryotes, and is therefore unable to induce RNAi-related processes. In many organisms, small RNAs play an important role in regulating gene expression and other cellular processes. In order to understand if other small RNA pathways are operating in this organism, we performed high throughput sequencing and genome-wide analyses of the short transcriptome. We identified an abundance of small RNAs derived from non-coding RNA genes, including transfer RNAs, ribosomal RNAs as well as small nucleolar RNAs and small nuclear RNAs. Certain tRNA types were overrepresented as precursors for small RNAs. Further, we identified 79 novel small non-coding RNAs, not previously reported. We did not identify canonical small RNAs, like microRNAs and small interfering RNAs, and concluded that these do not exist in T. cruzi. This study has provided insights into the short transcriptome of a major human pathogen and provided starting points for further functional investigation of small RNAs and their biological roles.
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Souza RT, Lima FM, Barros RM, Cortez DR, Santos MF, Cordero EM, Ruiz JC, Goldenberg S, Teixeira MMG, da Silveira JF. Genome size, karyotype polymorphism and chromosomal evolution in Trypanosoma cruzi. PLoS One 2011; 6:e23042. [PMID: 21857989 PMCID: PMC3155523 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0023042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2011] [Accepted: 07/04/2011] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The Trypanosoma cruzi genome was sequenced from a hybrid strain (CL Brener). However, high allelic variation and the repetitive nature of the genome have prevented the complete linear sequence of chromosomes being determined. Determining the full complement of chromosomes and establishing syntenic groups will be important in defining the structure of T. cruzi chromosomes. A large amount of information is now available for T. cruzi and Trypanosoma brucei, providing the opportunity to compare and describe the overall patterns of chromosomal evolution in these parasites. Methodology/Principal Findings The genome sizes, repetitive DNA contents, and the numbers and sizes of chromosomes of nine strains of T. cruzi from four lineages (TcI, TcII, TcV and TcVI) were determined. The genome of the TcI group was statistically smaller than other lineages, with the exception of the TcI isolate Tc1161 (José-IMT). Satellite DNA content was correlated with genome size for all isolates, but this was not accompanied by simultaneous amplification of retrotransposons. Regardless of chromosomal polymorphism, large syntenic groups are conserved among T. cruzi lineages. Duplicated chromosome-sized regions were identified and could be retained as paralogous loci, increasing the dosage of several genes. By comparing T. cruzi and T. brucei chromosomes, homologous chromosomal regions in T. brucei were identified. Chromosomes Tb9 and Tb11 of T. brucei share regions of syntenic homology with three and six T. cruzi chromosomal bands, respectively. Conclusions Despite genome size variation and karyotype polymorphism, T. cruzi lineages exhibit conservation of chromosome structure. Several syntenic groups are conserved among all isolates analyzed in this study. The syntenic regions are larger than expected if rearrangements occur randomly, suggesting that they are conserved owing to positive selection. Mapping of the syntenic regions on T. cruzi chromosomal bands provides evidence for the occurrence of fusion and split events involving T. brucei and T. cruzi chromosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata T. Souza
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fábio M. Lima
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Roberto Moraes Barros
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Danielle R. Cortez
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Michele F. Santos
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Esteban M. Cordero
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Marta M. G. Teixeira
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - José Franco da Silveira
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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Martins C, Reis-Cunha J, Silva M, Pereira E, Pappas Jr. G, Bartholomeu D, Zingales B. Identification of genes encoding hypothetical proteins in open-reading frame expressed sequence tags from mammalian stages of Trypanosoma cruzi. GENETICS AND MOLECULAR RESEARCH 2011; 10:1589-630. [DOI: 10.4238/vol10-3gmr1140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Kuhn GCS, Schwarzacher T, Heslop-Harrison JS. The non-regular orbit: three satellite DNAs in Drosophila martensis (buzzatii complex, repleta group) followed three different evolutionary pathways. Mol Genet Genomics 2010; 284:251-62. [PMID: 20683615 DOI: 10.1007/s00438-010-0564-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2010] [Accepted: 07/20/2010] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The genome of species from the buzzatii cluster (buzzatii complex, repleta group) is hosted by a number of satellite DNAs (satDNAs) showing contrasting structural characteristics, genomic organization and evolution, such as pBuM-alpha (~190 bp repeats), pBuM-alpha/beta (~370 bp repeats) and the DBC-150 (~150 bp repeats). In the present study, we aimed to investigate the evolution of these three satDNAs by looking for homologous sequences in the genome of the closest outgroup species: Drosophila martensis (buzzatii complex). After PCR, we isolated and sequenced 9 alpha, 8 alpha/beta and 11 DBC-150 sequences from this species. The results were compared to all pBuM and DBC-150 sequences available in literature. After D. martensis split from the buzzatii cluster some 6 Mya, the three satDNAs evolved differently in the genome of D. martensis by: (1) maintenance of a collection of major types of ancestral repeats in the genome (alpha); (2) fixation for a single major type of ancestral repeats (alpha/beta) or (3) fixation for new divergent species-specific repeat types (DBC-150). Curiously, D. seriema and D. martensis, although belonging to different and allopatric clusters, became independently fixed for the same major type of alpha/beta ancestral repeats, illustrating a rare case of parallelism in satDNA evolution. The contrasting pictures illustrate the diversity of evolutionary pathways a satDNA can follow, defining a "non-regular orbit" with outcomes difficult to predict.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo C S Kuhn
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Via Washington Luís, Km 235, São Carlos, SP 13565-905, Brazil.
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Ienne S, Pedroso A, Carmona E Ferreira R, Briones MRS, Zingales B. Network genealogy of 195-bp satellite DNA supports the superimposed hybridization hypothesis of Trypanosoma cruzi evolutionary pattern. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2010; 10:601-6. [PMID: 20433949 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2010.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2009] [Revised: 04/16/2010] [Accepted: 04/20/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is highly diverse genetically and has been partitioned into six discrete typing units (DTUs), recently re-named T. cruzi I-VI. Although T. cruzi reproduces predominantly by binary division, accumulating evidence indicates that particular DTUs are the result of hybridization events. Two major scenarios for the origin of the hybrid lineages have been proposed. It is accepted widely that the most heterozygous TcV and TcVI DTUs are the result of genetic exchange between TcII and TcIII strains. On the other hand, the participation of a TcI parental in the current genome structure of these hybrid strains is a matter of debate. Here, sequences of the T. cruzi-specific 195-bp satellite DNA of TcI, TcII, TcIII, TcV, and TcVI strains have been used for inferring network genealogies. The resulting genealogy showed a high degree of reticulation, which is consistent with more than one event of hybridization between the Tc DTUs. The data also strongly suggest that TcIII is a hybrid with two distinct sets of satellite sequences, and that genetic exchange between TcI and TcII parentals occurred within the pedigree of the TcV and TcVI DTUs. Although satellite DNAs belong to the fast-evolving portion of eukaryotic genomes, in >100 satellite units of nine T. cruzi strains we found regions that display 100% identity. No DTU-specific consensus motifs were identified, inferring species-wide conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Ienne
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Professor Lineu Prestes 748, CEP 05508-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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Martinsen L, Johnsen A, Venanzetti F, Bachmann L. Phylogenetic footprinting of non-coding RNA: hammerhead ribozyme sequences in a satellite DNA family of Dolichopoda cave crickets (Orthoptera, Rhaphidophoridae). BMC Evol Biol 2010; 10:3. [PMID: 20047671 PMCID: PMC2837043 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-10-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2009] [Accepted: 01/04/2010] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The great variety in sequence, length, complexity, and abundance of satellite DNA has made it difficult to ascribe any function to this genome component. Recent studies have shown that satellite DNA can be transcribed and be involved in regulation of chromatin structure and gene expression. Some satellite DNAs, such as the pDo500 sequence family in Dolichopoda cave crickets, have a catalytic hammerhead (HH) ribozyme structure and activity embedded within each repeat. RESULTS We assessed the phylogenetic footprints of the HH ribozyme within the pDo500 sequences from 38 different populations representing 12 species of Dolichopoda. The HH region was significantly more conserved than the non-hammerhead (NHH) region of the pDo500 repeat. In addition, stems were more conserved than loops. In stems, several compensatory mutations were detected that maintain base pairing. The core region of the HH ribozyme was affected by very few nucleotide substitutions and the cleavage position was altered only once among 198 sequences. RNA folding of the HH sequences revealed that a potentially active HH ribozyme can be found in most of the Dolichopoda populations and species. CONCLUSIONS The phylogenetic footprints suggest that the HH region of the pDo500 sequence family is selected for function in Dolichopoda cave crickets. However, the functional role of HH ribozymes in eukaryotic organisms is unclear. The possible functions have been related to trans cleavage of an RNA target by a ribonucleoprotein and regulation of gene expression. Whether the HH ribozyme in Dolichopoda is involved in similar functions remains to be investigated. Future studies need to demonstrate how the observed nucleotide changes and evolutionary constraint have affected the catalytic efficiency of the hammerhead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lene Martinsen
- Natural History Museum, Department for Research and Collections, University of Oslo, 0318 Oslo, Norway
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Evaluation of adult chronic Chagas' heart disease diagnosis by molecular and serological methods. J Clin Microbiol 2009; 47:3945-51. [PMID: 19846646 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.01601-09] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas' disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi is endemic in Latin America. T. cruzi presents heterogeneous populations and comprises two main genetic lineages, named T. cruzi I and T. cruzi II. Diagnosis in the chronic phase is based on conventional serological tests, including indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and diagnosis in the acute phase based on parasitological methods, including hemoculture. The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic procedures of Chagas' disease in adult patients in the chronic phase by using a PCR assay and conventional serological tests, including TESA-blot as the gold standard. Samples were obtained from 240 clinical chronic chagasic patients. The sensitivities, compared to that of TESA-blot, were 70% for PCR using the kinetoplast region, 75% for PCR using the nuclear repetitive region, 99% for IIF, and 95% for ELISA. According to the serological tests results, we recommend that researchers assess the reliability and sensitivity of the commercial kit Chagatest ELISA recombinant, version 3.0 (Chagatest Rec v3.0; Wiener Lab, Rosario, Argentina), due to the lack of sensitivity. Based on our analysis, we concluded that PCR cannot be validated as a conventional diagnostic technique for Chagas' disease. These data have been corroborated by low levels of concordance with serology test results. It is recommended that PCR be used only for alternative diagnostic support. Using the nuclear repetitive region of T. cruzi, PCR could also be applicable for monitoring patients receiving etiologic treatment.
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Duffy T, Bisio M, Altcheh J, Burgos JM, Diez M, Levin MJ, Favaloro RR, Freilij H, Schijman AG. Accurate real-time PCR strategy for monitoring bloodstream parasitic loads in chagas disease patients. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2009; 3:e419. [PMID: 19381287 PMCID: PMC2667272 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 205] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2009] [Accepted: 03/24/2009] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This report describes a real-time PCR (Q-PCR) strategy to quantify Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) DNA in peripheral blood samples from Chagas disease patients targeted to conserved motifs within the repetitive satellite sequence. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS The Q-PCR has a detection limit of 0.1 and 0.01 parasites/mL, with a dynamic range of 10(6) and 10(7) for Silvio X10 cl1 (T. cruzi I) and Cl Brener stocks (T. cruzi IIe), respectively, an efficiency of 99%, and a coefficient of determination (R(2)) of 0.998. In order to express accurately the parasitic loads: (1) we adapted a commercial kit based on silica-membrane technology to enable efficient processing of Guanidine Hydrochloride-EDTA treated blood samples and minimize PCR inhibition; (2) results were normalized incorporating a linearized plasmid as an internal standard of the whole procedure; and (3) a correction factor according to the representativity of satellite sequences in each parasite lineage group was determined using a modified real-time PCR protocol (Lg-PCR). The Q-PCR strategy was applied (1) to estimate basal parasite loads in 43 pediatric Chagas disease patients, (2) to follow-up 38 of them receiving treatment with benznidazole, and (3) to monitor three chronic Chagas heart disease patients who underwent heart-transplantation and displayed events of clinical reactivation due to immunosupression. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE All together, the high analytical sensitivity of the Q-PCR strategy, the low levels of intra- and inter-assay variations, as well as the accuracy provided by the Lg-PCR based correction factor support this methodology as a key laboratory tool for monitoring clinical reactivation and etiological treatment outcome in Chagas disease patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Duffy
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular de la Enfermedad de Chagas, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Margarita Bisio
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular de la Enfermedad de Chagas, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jaime Altcheh
- Parasitology Unit of the “Ricardo Gutierrez” Children's Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juan Miguel Burgos
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular de la Enfermedad de Chagas, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mirta Diez
- Transplant Unit of the Instituto de Cardiología y Cirugía Cardiovascular, Fundación “René Favaloro”, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mariano Jorge Levin
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular de la Enfermedad de Chagas, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Roberto Rene Favaloro
- Transplant Unit of the Instituto de Cardiología y Cirugía Cardiovascular, Fundación “René Favaloro”, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Hector Freilij
- Parasitology Unit of the “Ricardo Gutierrez” Children's Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alejandro Gabriel Schijman
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular de la Enfermedad de Chagas, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Bartholomeu DC, Cerqueira GC, Leão ACA, daRocha WD, Pais FS, Macedo C, Djikeng A, Teixeira SMR, El-Sayed NM. Genomic organization and expression profile of the mucin-associated surface protein (masp) family of the human pathogen Trypanosoma cruzi. Nucleic Acids Res 2009; 37:3407-17. [PMID: 19336417 PMCID: PMC2691823 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkp172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A novel large multigene family was recently identified in the human pathogen Trypanosoma cruzi, causative agent of Chagas disease, and corresponds to ∼6% of the parasite diploid genome. The predicted gene products, mucin-associated surface proteins (MASPs), are characterized by highly conserved N- and C-terminal domains and a strikingly variable and repetitive central region. We report here an analysis of the genomic organization and expression profile of masp genes. Masps are not randomly distributed throughout the genome but instead are clustered with genes encoding mucin and other surface protein families. Masp transcripts vary in size, are preferentially expressed during the trypomastigote stage and contain highly conserved 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions. A sequence analysis of a trypomastigote cDNA library reveals the expression of multiple masp variants with a bias towards a particular masp subgroup. Immunofluorescence assays using antibodies generated against a MASP peptide reveals that the expression of particular MASPs at the cell membrane is limited to subsets of the parasite population. Western blots of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC)-treated parasites suggest that MASP may be GPI-anchored and shed into the medium culture, thus contributing to the large repertoire of parasite polypeptides that are exposed to the host immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniella C Bartholomeu
- Department of Parasitology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
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