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Dangoudoubiyam S, Norris JK, Namasivayam S, de Paula Baptista R, Cannes do Nascimento N, Camp J, Schardl CL, Kissinger JC, Howe DK. Temporal gene expression during asexual development of the apicomplexan Sarcocystis neurona. mSphere 2024; 9:e0011124. [PMID: 38809064 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00111-24] [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: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Asexual replication in the apicomplexan Sarcocystis neurona involves two main developmental stages: the motile extracellular merozoite and the sessile intracellular schizont. Merozoites invade host cells and transform into schizonts that undergo replication via endopolygeny to form multiple (64) daughter merozoites that are invasive to new host cells. Given that the capabilities of the merozoite vary significantly from the schizont, the patterns of transcript levels throughout the asexual lifecycle were determined and compared in this study. RNA-Seq data were generated from extracellular merozoites and four intracellular schizont development time points. Of the 6,938 genes annotated in the S. neurona genome, 6,784 were identified in the transcriptome. Of these, 4,111 genes exhibited significant differential expression between the merozoite and at least one schizont development time point. Transcript levels were significantly higher for 2,338 genes in the merozoite and 1,773 genes in the schizont stages. Included in this list were genes encoding the secretory pathogenesis determinants (SPDs), which encompass the surface antigen and SAG-related sequence (SAG/SRS) and the secretory organelle proteins of the invasive zoite stage (micronemes, rhoptries, and dense granules). As anticipated, many of the S. neurona SPD gene transcripts were abundant in merozoites. However, several SPD transcripts were elevated in intracellular schizonts, suggesting roles unrelated to host cell invasion and the initial establishment of the intracellular niche. The hypothetical genes that are potentially unique to the genus Sarcocystis are of particular interest. Their conserved expression patterns are instructive for future investigations into the possible functions of these putative Sarcocystis-unique genes. IMPORTANCE The genus Sarcocystis is an expansive clade within the Apicomplexa, with the species S. neurona being an important cause of neurological disease in horses. Research to decipher the biology of S. neurona and its host-pathogen interactions can be enhanced by gene expression data. This study has identified conserved apicomplexan orthologs in S. neurona, putative Sarcocystis-unique genes, and gene transcripts abundant in the merozoite and schizont stages. Importantly, we have identified distinct clusters of genes with transcript levels peaking during different intracellular schizont development time points, reflecting active gene expression changes across endopolygeny. Each cluster also has subsets of transcripts with unknown functions, and investigation of these seemingly Sarcocystis-unique transcripts will provide insights into the interesting biology of this parasite genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sriveny Dangoudoubiyam
- Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Jamie K Norris
- Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Sivaranjani Namasivayam
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Rodrigo de Paula Baptista
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
- Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Naila Cannes do Nascimento
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Joseph Camp
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | | | - Jessica C Kissinger
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
- Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Daniel K Howe
- Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
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Schwarzer E, Skorokhod O. Post-Translational Modifications of Proteins of Malaria Parasites during the Life Cycle. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6145. [PMID: 38892332 PMCID: PMC11173270 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are essential for regulating protein functions, influencing various fundamental processes in eukaryotes. These include, but are not limited to, cell signaling, protein trafficking, the epigenetic control of gene expression, and control of the cell cycle, as well as cell proliferation, differentiation, and interactions between cells. In this review, we discuss protein PTMs that play a key role in the malaria parasite biology and its pathogenesis. Phosphorylation, acetylation, methylation, lipidation and lipoxidation, glycosylation, ubiquitination and sumoylation, nitrosylation and glutathionylation, all of which occur in malarial parasites, are reviewed. We provide information regarding the biological significance of these modifications along all phases of the complex life cycle of Plasmodium spp. Importantly, not only the parasite, but also the host and vector protein PTMs are often crucial for parasite growth and development. In addition to metabolic regulations, protein PTMs can result in epitopes that are able to elicit both innate and adaptive immune responses of the host or vector. We discuss some existing and prospective results from antimalarial drug discovery trials that target various PTM-related processes in the parasite or host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelin Schwarzer
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Via Santena 5 bis, 10126 Turin, Italy;
| | - Oleksii Skorokhod
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina, 13, 10123 Turin, Italy
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Pires CV, Cassandra D, Xu S, Laleu B, Burrows JN, Adams JH. Oxidative stress changes the effectiveness of artemisinin in Plasmodium falciparum. mBio 2024; 15:e0316923. [PMID: 38323831 PMCID: PMC10936410 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03169-23] [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: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Malaria parasites have adaptive mechanisms to modulate their intracellular redox status to tolerate the enhanced oxidizing effects created by malaria fever, hemoglobinopathies and other stress conditions, including antimalaria drugs. Emerging artemisinin (ART) resistance in Plasmodium falciparum is a complex phenotype linked to the parasite's tolerance of the activated drug's oxidative damage along with changes in vesicular transport, lipid metabolism, DNA repair, and exported proteins. In an earlier study, we discovered that many of these metabolic processes are induced in P. falciparum to respond to the oxidative damage caused by artemisinin, which exhibited a highly significant overlap with the parasite's adaptive response mechanisms to survive febrile temperatures. In addition, there was a significant overlap with the parasite's survival responses to oxidative stress. In this study, we investigated these relationships further using an in vitro model to evaluate if oxidative stress and heat-shock conditions could alter the parasite's response to artemisinin. The results revealed that compared to ideal culture conditions, the antimalarial efficacy of artemisinin was significantly reduced in parasites growing in intraerythrocytic oxidative stress but not in heat-shock condition. In contrast, heat shock significantly reduced the efficacy of lumefantrine that is an important ART combination therapy partner drug. We propose that prolonged exposure to intraerythrocytic microenvironmental oxidative stress, as would occur in endemic regions with high prevalence for sickle trait and other hemoglobinopathies, can predispose malaria parasites to develop tolerance to the oxidative damage caused by antimalarial drugs like artemisinin. IMPORTANCE Emerging resistance to the frontline antimalarial drug artemisinin represents a significant threat to worldwide malaria control and elimination. The patterns of parasite changes associated with emerging resistance represent a complex array of metabolic processes evident in various genetic mutations and altered transcription profiles. Genetic factors identified in regulating P. falciparum sensitivity to artemisinin overlap with the parasite's responses to malarial fever, sickle trait, and other types of oxidative stresses, suggesting conserved inducible survival responses. In this study we show that intraerythrocytic stress conditions, oxidative stress and heat shock, can significantly decrease the sensitivity of the parasite to artemisinin and lumefantrine, respectively. These results indicate that an intraerythrocytic oxidative stress microenvironment and heat-shock condition can alter antimalarial drug efficacy. Evaluating efficacy of antimalarial drugs under ideal in vitro culture conditions may not accurately predict drug efficacy in all malaria patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Valente Pires
- Center for Global Health and Interdisciplinary Diseases Research and USF Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Debora Cassandra
- Center for Global Health and Interdisciplinary Diseases Research and USF Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Shulin Xu
- Center for Global Health and Interdisciplinary Diseases Research and USF Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Benoit Laleu
- Medicines for Malaria Venture, ICC, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - John H. Adams
- Center for Global Health and Interdisciplinary Diseases Research and USF Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
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Xu R, Lin L, Jiao Z, Liang R, Guo Y, Zhang Y, Shang X, Wang Y, Wang X, Yao L, Liu S, Deng X, Yuan J, Su XZ, Li J. Deaggregation of mutant Plasmodium yoelii de-ubiquitinase UBP1 alters MDR1 localization to confer multidrug resistance. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1774. [PMID: 38413566 PMCID: PMC10899652 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46006-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Mutations in a Plasmodium de-ubiquitinase UBP1 have been linked to antimalarial drug resistance. However, the UBP1-mediated drug-resistant mechanism remains unknown. Through drug selection, genetic mapping, allelic exchange, and functional characterization, here we show that simultaneous mutations of two amino acids (I1560N and P2874T) in the Plasmodium yoelii UBP1 can mediate high-level resistance to mefloquine, lumefantrine, and piperaquine. Mechanistically, the double mutations are shown to impair UBP1 cytoplasmic aggregation and de-ubiquitinating activity, leading to increased ubiquitination levels and altered protein localization, from the parasite digestive vacuole to the plasma membrane, of the P. yoelii multidrug resistance transporter 1 (MDR1). The MDR1 on the plasma membrane enhances the efflux of substrates/drugs out of the parasite cytoplasm to confer multidrug resistance, which can be reversed by inhibition of MDR1 transport. This study reveals a previously unknown drug-resistant mechanism mediated by UBP1 through altered MDR1 localization and substrate transport direction in a mouse model, providing a new malaria treatment strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruixue Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Lirong Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Zhiwei Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Rui Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Yazhen Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Yixin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Xiaoxu Shang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Yuezhou Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Xu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Luming Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Shengfa Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Xianming Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Jing Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China.
| | - Xin-Zhuan Su
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA.
| | - Jian Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China.
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Gonçalves AF, Lima-Pinheiro A, Teixeira M, Cassiano GC, Cravo P, Ferreira PE. Mutation in the 26S proteasome regulatory subunit rpn2 gene in Plasmodium falciparum confers resistance to artemisinin. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1342856. [PMID: 38404287 PMCID: PMC10884193 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1342856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Malaria parasites increasingly develop resistance to all drugs available in the market, hampering the goal of reducing malaria burden. Methods Herein, we evaluated the impact of a single-nucleotide variant, E738K, present in the 26S proteasome regulatory subunit rpn2 gene, identified in Plasmodium chabaudi resistant parasites. Plasmids carrying a functional rpn2 interspecies chimeric gene with 5' recombination region from P. falciparum and 3' from P. chabaudi were constructed and transfected into Dd2 P. falciparum parasites. Results and discussion The 738K variant parasite line presented increased parasite survival when subjected to dihydroartemisinin (DHA), as well as increased chymotrypsin-like activity and decreased accumulation of polyubiquitinated proteins. We thus conclude that the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, including the 738K variant, play an important role in parasite response to DHA, being the first report of a mutation in a potential DHA drug target enhancing parasite survival and contributing to a significant advance in the understanding the biology of artemisinin resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana F. Gonçalves
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS)/ Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics Research Group (3B's)-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Portugal
| | - Ana Lima-Pinheiro
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS)/ Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics Research Group (3B's)-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Portugal
| | - Miguel Teixeira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS)/ Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics Research Group (3B's)-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Portugal
- Department of Protection of Specific Crops, InnovPlantProtect Collaborative Laboratory, Elvas, Portugal
| | - Gustavo Capatti Cassiano
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Associate Laboratory in Translation and Innovation Towards Global Health (LA-REAL), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Pedro Cravo
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Associate Laboratory in Translation and Innovation Towards Global Health (LA-REAL), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Pedro E. Ferreira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS)/ Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics Research Group (3B's)-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Portugal
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Rizvi Z, Reddy GS, Gorde SM, Pundir P, Das D, Sijwali PS. Plasmodium falciparum contains functional SCF and CRL4 ubiquitin E3 ligases, and CRL4 is critical for cell division and membrane integrity. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012045. [PMID: 38416790 PMCID: PMC10927090 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein ubiquitination is essential for cellular homeostasis and regulation of several processes, including cell division and genome integrity. Ubiquitin E3 ligases determine substrate specificity for ubiquitination, and Cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligases (CRLs) make the largest group among the ubiquitin E3 ligases. Although conserved and most studied in model eukaryotes, CRLs remain underappreciated in Plasmodium and related parasites. To investigate the CRLs of human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, we generated parasites expressing tagged P. falciparum cullin-1 (PfCullin-1), cullin-2 (PfCullin-2), Rbx1 (PfRbx1) and Skp1 (PfSkp1). PfCullin-1 and PfCullin-2 were predominantly expressed in erythrocytic trophozoite and schizont stages, with nucleocytoplasmic localization and chromatin association, suggesting their roles in different cellular compartments and DNA-associated processes. Immunoprecipitation, in vitro protein-protein interaction, and ubiquitination assay confirmed the presence of a functional Skp1-Cullin-1-Fbox (PfSCF) complex, comprising of PfCullin-1, PfRbx1, PfSkp1, PfFBXO1, and calcyclin binding protein. Immunoprecipitation, sequence analysis, and ubiquitination assay indicated that PfCullin-2 forms a functional human CRL4-like complex (PfCRL4), consisting of PfRbx1, cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor subunit_A and WD40 repeat proteins. PfCullin-2 knock-down at the protein level, which would hinder PfCRL4 assembly, significantly decreased asexual and sexual erythrocytic stage development. The protein levels of several pathways, including protein translation and folding, lipid biosynthesis and transport, DNA replication, and protein degradation were significantly altered upon PfCullin-2 depletion, which likely reflects association of PfCRL4 with multiple pathways. PfCullin-2-depleted schizonts had poorly delimited merozoites and internal membraned structures, suggesting a role of PfCRL4 in maintaining membrane integrity. PfCullin-2-depleted parasites had a significantly lower number of nuclei/parasite than the normal parasites, indicating a crucial role of PfCRL4 in cell division. We demonstrate the presence of functional CRLs in P. falciparum, with crucial roles for PfCRL4 in cell division and maintaining membrane integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeba Rizvi
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad-500007, India
| | - G. Srinivas Reddy
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad-500007, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad-201002, UP, India
| | - Somesh M. Gorde
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad-500007, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad-201002, UP, India
| | - Priyanka Pundir
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad-500007, India
| | - Divya Das
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad-500007, India
| | - Puran Singh Sijwali
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad-500007, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad-201002, UP, India
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Bailey BL, Nguyen W, Cowman AF, Sleebs BE. Chemo-proteomics in antimalarial target identification and engagement. Med Res Rev 2023; 43:2303-2351. [PMID: 37232495 PMCID: PMC10947479 DOI: 10.1002/med.21975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Humans have lived in tenuous battle with malaria over millennia. Today, while much of the world is free of the disease, areas of South America, Asia, and Africa still wage this war with substantial impacts on their social and economic development. The threat of widespread resistance to all currently available antimalarial therapies continues to raise concern. Therefore, it is imperative that novel antimalarial chemotypes be developed to populate the pipeline going forward. Phenotypic screening has been responsible for the majority of the new chemotypes emerging in the past few decades. However, this can result in limited information on the molecular target of these compounds which may serve as an unknown variable complicating their progression into clinical development. Target identification and validation is a process that incorporates techniques from a range of different disciplines. Chemical biology and more specifically chemo-proteomics have been heavily utilized for this purpose. This review provides an in-depth summary of the application of chemo-proteomics in antimalarial development. Here we focus particularly on the methodology, practicalities, merits, and limitations of designing these experiments. Together this provides learnings on the future use of chemo-proteomics in antimalarial development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brodie L. Bailey
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical ResearchMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Medical BiologyThe University of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - William Nguyen
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical ResearchMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Medical BiologyThe University of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Alan F. Cowman
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical ResearchMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Medical BiologyThe University of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Brad E. Sleebs
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical ResearchMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Medical BiologyThe University of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
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Lucky AB, Wang C, Shakri AR, Kalamuddin M, Chim-Ong A, Li X, Miao J. Plasmodium falciparum GCN5 plays a key role in regulating artemisinin resistance-related stress responses. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2023; 67:e0057723. [PMID: 37702516 PMCID: PMC10583690 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00577-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum causes the most severe malaria and is exposed to various environmental and physiological stresses in the human host. Given that GCN5 plays a critical role in regulating stress responses in model organisms, we aimed to elucidate PfGCN5's function in stress responses in P. falciparum. The protein level of PfGCN5 was substantially induced under three stress conditions [heat shock, low glucose starvation, and dihydroartemisinin, the active metabolite of artemisinin (ART)]. With a TetR-DOZI conditional knockdown (KD) system, we successfully down-regulated PfGCN5 to ~50% and found that KD parasites became more sensitive to all three stress conditions. Transcriptomic analysis via RNA-seq identified ~1,000 up- and down-regulated genes in the wild-type (WT) and KD parasites under these stress conditions. Importantly, DHA induced transcriptional alteration of many genes involved in many aspects of stress responses, which were heavily shared among the altered genes under heat shock and low glucose conditions, including ART-resistance-related genes such as K13 and coronin. Based on the expression pattern between WT and KD parasites under three stress conditions, ~300-400 genes were identified to be involved in PfGCN5-dependent, general, and stress-condition-specific responses with high levels of overlaps among three stress conditions. Notably, using ring-stage survival assay, we found that KD or inhibition of PfGCN5 could sensitize the ART-resistant parasites to the DHA treatment. All these indicate that PfGCN5 is pivotal in regulating general and ART-resistance-related stress responses in malaria parasites, implicating PfGCN5 as a potential target for malaria intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amuza Byaruhanga Lucky
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Chengqi Wang
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Ahmad Rushdi Shakri
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Mohammad Kalamuddin
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Anongruk Chim-Ong
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Xiaolian Li
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Jun Miao
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
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9
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Pires CV, Oberstaller J, Wang C, Casandra D, Zhang M, Chawla J, Adapa SR, Otto TD, Ferdig MT, Rayner JC, Jiang RHY, Adams JH. Chemogenomic Profiling of a Plasmodium falciparum Transposon Mutant Library Reveals Shared Effects of Dihydroartemisinin and Bortezomib on Lipid Metabolism and Exported Proteins. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0501422. [PMID: 37067430 PMCID: PMC10269874 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.05014-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The antimalarial activity of the frontline drug artemisinin involves generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) leading to oxidative damage of parasite proteins. To achieve homeostasis and maintain protein quality control in the overwhelmed parasite, the ubiquitin-proteasome system kicks in. Even though molecular markers for artemisinin resistance like pfkelch13 have been identified, the intricate network of mechanisms driving resistance remains to be elucidated. Here, we report a forward genetic screening strategy that enables a broader identification of genetic factors responsible for altering sensitivity to dihydroartemisinin (DHA) and a proteasome inhibitor, bortezomib (BTZ). Using a library of isogenic piggyBac mutants in P. falciparum, we defined phenotype-genotype associations influencing drug responses and highlighted shared mechanisms between the two processes, which mainly included proteasome-mediated degradation and the lipid metabolism genes. Additional transcriptomic analysis of a DHA/BTZ-sensitive piggyBac mutant showed it is possible to find differences between the two response mechanisms on the specific components for regulation of the exportome. Our results provide further insight into the molecular mechanisms of antimalarial drug resistance. IMPORTANCE Malaria control is seriously threatened by the emergence and spread of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to the leading antimalarial, artemisinin. The potent killing activity of artemisinin results from oxidative damage unleashed by free heme activation released by hemoglobin digestion. Although the ubiquitin-proteasome system is considered critical for parasite survival of this toxicity, the diverse genetic changes linked to artemisinin resistance are complex and, so far, have not included the ubiquitin-proteasome system. In this study, we use a systematic forward genetic approach by screening a library of P. falciparum random piggyBac mutants to decipher the genetic factors driving malaria parasite responses to the oxidative stress caused by antimalarial drugs. This study compares phenotype-genotype associations influencing dihydroartemisinin responses with the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib to delineate the role of ubiquitin-proteasome system. Our study highlights shared and unique pathways from the complex array of molecular processes critical for P. falciparum survival resulting from the oxidative damage of artemisinin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Valente Pires
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
- USF Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Jenna Oberstaller
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
- USF Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Chengqi Wang
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
- USF Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Debora Casandra
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
- USF Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Min Zhang
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
- USF Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Jyotsna Chawla
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
- USF Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, United States
| | - Swamy Rakesh Adapa
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
- USF Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Thomas D. Otto
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, MVLS, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Michael T. Ferdig
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Julian C. Rayner
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Rays H. Y. Jiang
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
- USF Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - John H. Adams
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
- USF Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
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10
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Pires CV, Chawla J, Simmons C, Gibbons J, Adams JH. Heat-shock responses: systemic and essential ways of malaria parasite survival. Curr Opin Microbiol 2023; 73:102322. [PMID: 37130502 PMCID: PMC10247345 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2023.102322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Fever is a part of the human innate immune response that contributes to limiting microbial growth and development in many infectious diseases. For the parasite Plasmodium falciparum, survival of febrile temperatures is crucial for its successful propagation in human populations as well as a fundamental aspect of malaria pathogenesis. This review discusses recent insights into the biological complexity of the malaria parasite's heat-shock response, which involves many cellular compartments and essential metabolic processes to alleviate oxidative stress and accumulation of damaged and unfolded proteins. We highlight the overlap between heat-shock and artemisinin resistance responses, while also explaining how the malaria parasite adapts its fever response to fight artemisinin treatment. Additionally, we discuss how this systemic and essential fight for survival can also contribute to parasite transmission to mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla V Pires
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Jyotsna Chawla
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States; Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Caroline Simmons
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States; Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Justin Gibbons
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - John H Adams
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States; Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States.
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11
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Tanneru N, Nivya MA, Adhikari N, Saxena K, Rizvi Z, Sudhakar R, Nagwani AK, Atul, Mohammed Abdul Al-Nihmi F, Kumar KA, Sijwali PS. Plasmodium DDI1 is a potential therapeutic target and important chromatin-associated protein. Int J Parasitol 2023; 53:157-175. [PMID: 36657610 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2022.11.007] [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: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
DNA damage inducible 1 protein (DDI1) is involved in a variety of cellular processes including proteasomal degradation of specific proteins. All DDI1 proteins contain a ubiquitin-like (UBL) domain and a retroviral protease (RVP) domain. Some DDI1 proteins also contain a ubiquitin-associated (UBA) domain. The three domains confer distinct activities to DDI1 proteins. The presence of a RVP domain makes DDI1 a potential target of HIV protease inhibitors, which also block the development of malaria parasites. Hence, we investigated the DDI1 of malaria parasites to identify its roles during parasite development and potential as a therapeutic target. DDI1 proteins of Plasmodium and other apicomplexan parasites share the UBL-RVP domain architecture, and some also contain the UBA domain. Plasmodium DDI1 is expressed across all the major life cycle stages and is important for parasite survival, as conditional depletion of DDI1 protein in the mouse malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei and the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum compromised parasite development. Infection of mice with DDI1 knock-down P. berghei was self-limiting and protected the recovered mice from subsequent infection with homologous as well as heterologous parasites, indicating the potential of DDI1 knock-down parasites as a whole organism vaccine. Plasmodium falciparum DDI1 (PfDDI1) is associated with chromatin and DNA-protein crosslinks. PfDDI1-depleted parasites accumulated DNA-protein crosslinks and showed enhanced susceptibility to DNA-damaging chemicals, indicating a role of PfDDI1 in removal of DNA-protein crosslinks. Knock-down of PfDDI1 increased susceptibility to the retroviral protease inhibitor lopinavir and antimalarial artemisinin, which suggests that simultaneous inhibition of DDI1 could potentiate antimalarial activity of these drugs. As DDI1 knock-down parasites confer protective immunity and it could be a target of HIV protease inhibitors, Plasmodium DDI1 is a potential therapeutic target for malaria control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandita Tanneru
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad 500007, TS, India
| | - M Angel Nivya
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad 500007, TS, India
| | - Navin Adhikari
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad 500007, TS, India
| | - Kanika Saxena
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad 500007, TS, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, UP, India
| | - Zeba Rizvi
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad 500007, TS, India
| | - Renu Sudhakar
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad 500007, TS, India
| | - Amit Kumar Nagwani
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad 500007, TS, India
| | - Atul
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad 500007, TS, India
| | | | - Kota Arun Kumar
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500046, India
| | - Puran Singh Sijwali
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad 500007, TS, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, UP, India.
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12
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A Plasmodium falciparum RING Finger E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Modifies the Roles of PfMDR1 and PfCRT in Parasite Drug Responses. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2023; 67:e0082122. [PMID: 36625569 PMCID: PMC9933707 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00821-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein ubiquitination is an important posttranslational regulation mechanism that mediates Plasmodium development and modifies parasite responses to antimalarial drugs. Although mutations in several parasite ubiquitination enzymes have been linked to increased drug tolerance, the molecular mechanisms by which ubiquitination pathways mediate these parasite responses remain largely unknown. Here, we investigate the roles of a Plasmodium falciparum ring finger ubiquitin ligase (PfRFUL) in parasite development and in responses to antimalarial drugs. We engineered a transgenic parasite having the Pfrful gene tagged with an HA-2A-NeoR-glmS sequence to knockdown (KD) Pfrful expression using glucosamine (GlcN). A Western blot analysis of the proteins from GlcN-treated pSLI-HA-NeoR-glmS-tagged (PfRFULg) parasites, relative to their wild-type (Dd2) controls, showed changes in the ubiquitination of numerous proteins. PfRFUL KD rendered the parasites more sensitive to multiple antimalarial drugs, including mefloquine, piperaquine, amodiaquine, and dihydroartemisinin. PfRFUL KD also decreased the protein level of the P. falciparum multiple drug resistance 1 protein (PfMDR1) and altered the ratio of two bands of the P. falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter (PfCRT), suggesting contributions to the changed drug responses by the altered ubiquitination of these two molecules. The inhibition of proteasomal protein degradation by epoxomicin increased the PfRFUL level, suggesting the degradation of PfRFUL by the proteasome pathways, whereas the inhibition of E3 ubiquitin ligase activities by JNJ26854165 reduced the PfRFUL level. This study reveals the potential mechanisms of PfRFUL in modifying the expression of drug transporters and their roles in parasite drug responses. PfRFUL could be a potential target for antimalarial drug development.
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13
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Ignatz-Hoover JJ, Murphy EV, Driscoll JJ. Targeting Proteasomes in Cancer and Infectious Disease: A Parallel Strategy to Treat Malignancies and Microbes. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:925804. [PMID: 35873166 PMCID: PMC9302482 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.925804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Essential core pathways of cellular biology are preserved throughout evolution, highlighting the importance of these pathways for both bacteria and human cancer cells alike. Cell viability requires a proper balance between protein synthesis and degradation in order to maintain integrity of the proteome. Proteasomes are highly intricate, tightly regulated multisubunit complexes that are critical to achieve protein homeostasis (proteostasis) through the selective degradation of misfolded, redundant and damaged proteins. Proteasomes function as the catalytic core of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway (UPP) which regulates a myriad of essential processes including growth, survival, differentiation, drug resistance and apoptosis. Proteasomes recognize and degrade proteins that have been marked by covalently attached poly-ubiquitin chains. Deregulation of the UPP has emerged as an essential etiology of many prominent diseases, including cancer. Proteasome inhibitors selectively target cancer cells, including those resistant to chemotherapy, while sparing healthy cells. Proteasome inhibition has emerged as a transformative anti-myeloma strategy that has extended survival for certain patient populations from 3 to 8 years. The structural architecture and functional activity of proteasomes is conserved from Archaea to humans to support the concept that proteasomes are actionable targets that can be inhibited in pathogenic organisms to improve the treatment of infectious diseases. Proteasomes have an essential role during all stages of the parasite life cycle and features that distinguish proteasomes in pathogens from human forms have been revealed. Advancement of inhibitors that target Plasmodium and Mycobacterial proteasomes is a means to improve treatment of malaria and tuberculosis. In addition, PIs may also synergize with current frontline agents support as resistance to conventional drugs continues to increase. The proteasome represents a highly promising, actionable target to combat infectious diseases that devastate lives and livelihoods around the globe.
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Affiliation(s)
- James J. Ignatz-Hoover
- Division of Hematology & Oncology, Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
- Adult Hematologic Malignancies & Stem Cell Transplant Section, Seidman Cancer Center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, United States
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Elena V. Murphy
- Case Western Reserve University, Department of Biochemistry, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - James J. Driscoll
- Division of Hematology & Oncology, Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
- Adult Hematologic Malignancies & Stem Cell Transplant Section, Seidman Cancer Center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, United States
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
- *Correspondence: James J. Driscoll, ; orcid.org/0000-0002-6916-5490
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14
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Carvalho L, Bernardes GJL. The Impact of Activity-based Protein Profiling in Malaria Drug Discovery. ChemMedChem 2022; 17:e202200174. [PMID: 35506504 PMCID: PMC9401580 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202200174] [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: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) is an approach used at the interface of chemical biology and proteomics that uses small molecular probes to provide dynamic fingerprints of enzymatic activity in complex proteomes. Malaria is a disease caused by Plasmodium parasites with a significant death burden and for which new therapies are actively being sought. Here, we compile the main achievements from ABPP studies in malaria and highlight the probes used and the different downstream platforms for data analysis. ABPP has excelled at studying Plasmodium cysteine proteases and serine hydrolase families, the targeting of the proteasome and metabolic pathways, and in the deconvolution of targets and mechanisms of known antimalarials. Despite the major impact in the field, many antimalarials and enzymatic families in Plasmodium remain to be studied, which suggests ABPP will be an evergreen technique in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Carvalho
- University of Cambridge, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, Lensfield Rd, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, CB2 1EW, Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM
| | - Gonçalo J L Bernardes
- University of Cambridge Department of Chemistry, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, Lensfield Rd, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, CB2 1EW, Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM
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15
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Bharti H, Singal A, Saini M, Cheema PS, Raza M, Kundu S, Nag A. Repurposing the Pathogen Box compounds for identification of potent anti-malarials against blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum with PfUCHL3 inhibitory activity. Sci Rep 2022; 12:918. [PMID: 35042884 PMCID: PMC8766476 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04619-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria has endured as a global epidemic since ages and its eradication poses an immense challenge due to the complex life cycle of the causative pathogen and its tolerance to a myriad of therapeutics. PfUCHL3, a member of the ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase (UCH) family of deubiquitinases (DUBs) is cardinal for parasite survival and emerges as a promising therapeutic target. In this quest, we employed a combination of computational and experimental approaches to identify PfUCHL3 inhibitors as novel anti-malarials. The Pathogen Box library was screened against the crystal structure of PfUCHL3 (PDB ID: 2WE6) and its human ortholog (PDB ID: 1XD3). Fifty molecules with better comparative score, bioavailability and druglikeliness were subjected to in-vitro enzyme inhibition assay and among them only two compounds effectively inhibited PfUCHL3 activity at micro molar concentrations. Both MMV676603 and MMV688704 exhibited anti-plasmodial activity by altering the parasite phenotype at late stages of the asexual life cycle and inducing the accumulation of polyubiquitinated substrates. In addition, both the compounds were non-toxic and portrayed high selectivity window for the parasite over mammalian cells. This is the first comprehensive study to demonstrate the anti-malarial efficacy of PfUCHL3 inhibitors and opens new avenues to exploit UCH family of DUBs as a promising target for the development of next generation anti-malaria therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hina Bharti
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, Benito Juarez Road, New Delhi, 110021, India
| | - Aakriti Singal
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, Benito Juarez Road, New Delhi, 110021, India
| | - Manisha Saini
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, Benito Juarez Road, New Delhi, 110021, India
| | - Pradeep Singh Cheema
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, Benito Juarez Road, New Delhi, 110021, India
| | - Mohsin Raza
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, Benito Juarez Road, New Delhi, 110021, India
| | - Suman Kundu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, Benito Juarez Road, New Delhi, 110021, India
| | - Alo Nag
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, Benito Juarez Road, New Delhi, 110021, India.
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16
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Alvarado ME, Chaparro-Gutiérrez JJ, Calvo EP, Prada LF, Wasserman M. Activity of the Giardia intestinalis proteasome during encystation and its connection with the expression of the cyst wall protein 1 (CWP1). Acta Trop 2022; 225:106183. [PMID: 34627761 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106183] [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: 12/13/2020] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Giardia is a parasite whose life cycle is composed of two stages: replicative trophozoites, responsible for the symptoms of the disease, and infective cysts, resistant to adverse environments outside of hosts. Proteasomes are multicatalytic peptidase complexes responsible for the specific degradation of proteins in eukaryotic cells. This study assessed the proteasome activity in the trophozoite and during encystation. Strong activation of the proteasome was observed during the differentiation of trophozoites into cysts, reaching its maximum level 24 h after the stimulus. We also found that the Giardia proteasome presents unusual characteristics related to higher eukaryotic proteasomes, making it an eventual therapeutic target. Here we tested the effects on the synthesis of a cyst wall protein by chemical inactivation of the proteasome and by overexpression or partial inhibition of the deubiquitinating protein RPN11 in transfected cells. Moreover, an analysis of the intracellular localization of RPN11 (an integral part of the proteasome regulatory particle) revealed major changes associated with the differentiation of trophozoites into cysts. This evidence further supports the important role of the proteasome in Giardia encystation.
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17
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Design of proteasome inhibitors with oral efficacy in vivo against Plasmodium falciparum and selectivity over the human proteasome. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2107213118. [PMID: 34548400 PMCID: PMC8488693 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2107213118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Here, we describe inhibitors of the Plasmodium proteasome, an enzymatic complex that malaria parasites rely on to degrade proteins. Starting from inhibitors developed to treat cancer, derivatives were designed and synthesized with the aim of increasing potency against the Plasmodium proteasome and decreasing activity against the human enzyme. Biochemical and cellular assays identified compounds that exhibit selectivity and potency, both in vitro and in vivo, at different stages of the parasite’s lifecycle. Cryo-electron microscopy revealed that the inhibitors bind in a hydrophobic pocket that is structurally different in the human proteasome—underpinning their selectivity. The work will help develop antimalarial therapeutics, which are desperately needed to treat a disease that kills nearly half a million people annually. The Plasmodium falciparum proteasome is a potential antimalarial drug target. We have identified a series of amino-amide boronates that are potent and specific inhibitors of the P. falciparum 20S proteasome (Pf20S) β5 active site and that exhibit fast-acting antimalarial activity. They selectively inhibit the growth of P. falciparum compared with a human cell line and exhibit high potency against field isolates of P. falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. They have a low propensity for development of resistance and possess liver stage and transmission-blocking activity. Exemplar compounds, MPI-5 and MPI-13, show potent activity against P. falciparum infections in a SCID mouse model with an oral dosing regimen that is well tolerated. We show that MPI-5 binds more strongly to Pf20S than to human constitutive 20S (Hs20Sc). Comparison of the cryo-electron microscopy (EM) structures of Pf20S and Hs20Sc in complex with MPI-5 and Pf20S in complex with the clinically used anti-cancer agent, bortezomib, reveal differences in binding modes that help to explain the selectivity. Together, this work provides insights into the 20S proteasome in P. falciparum, underpinning the design of potent and selective antimalarial proteasome inhibitors.
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18
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The apicoplast link to fever-survival and artemisinin-resistance in the malaria parasite. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4563. [PMID: 34315897 PMCID: PMC8316339 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24814-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence and spread of Plasmodium falciparum parasites resistant to front-line antimalarial artemisinin-combination therapies (ACT) threatens to erase the considerable gains against the disease of the last decade. Here, we develop a large-scale phenotypic screening pipeline and use it to carry out a large-scale forward-genetic phenotype screen in P. falciparum to identify genes allowing parasites to survive febrile temperatures. Screening identifies more than 200 P. falciparum mutants with differential responses to increased temperature. These mutants are more likely to be sensitive to artemisinin derivatives as well as to heightened oxidative stress. Major processes critical for P. falciparum tolerance to febrile temperatures and artemisinin include highly essential, conserved pathways associated with protein-folding, heat shock and proteasome-mediated degradation, and unexpectedly, isoprenoid biosynthesis, which originated from the ancestral genome of the parasite’s algal endosymbiont-derived plastid, the apicoplast. Apicoplast-targeted genes in general are upregulated in response to heat shock, as are other Plasmodium genes with orthologs in plant and algal genomes. Plasmodium falciparum parasites appear to exploit their innate febrile-response mechanisms to mediate resistance to artemisinin. Both responses depend on endosymbiont-derived genes in the parasite’s genome, suggesting a link to the evolutionary origins of Plasmodium parasites in free-living ancestors. Repeating fever is a hallmark of malaria. Here, a large-scale forward genetic screen in malaria-causing Plasmodium falciparum identifies genes associated with parasite tolerance to host fever, including apicoplast targeted isoprenoid biosynthesis—sharing features with artemisinin resistance.
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19
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Johnson N, Philip N. Beyond phosphorylation: Putative roles of post-translational modifications in Plasmodium sexual stages. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2021; 245:111406. [PMID: 34324911 PMCID: PMC8505795 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2021.111406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) allow proteins to regulate their structure, localisation and function in response to cell intrinsic and environmental signals. The diversity and number of modifications on proteins increase the complexity of cellular proteomes by orders of magnitude. Several proteomic and molecular studies have revealed an abundance of PTMs in malaria parasite proteome, where mediators of PTMs play crucial roles in parasite pathogenesis and transmission. In this article, we discuss recent findings in asexual stages of ten diverse PTMs and investigate whether these proteins are expressed in sexual stages. We discovered 25-50 % of proteins exhibiting post-translational modifications in asexual stages are also expressed in sexual stage gametocytes. Moreover we analyse the function of the modified proteins shared with the gametocyte proteome and try to encourage the scientific community to investigate the roles of diverse PTMs beyond phosphorylation in sexual stages which could not only reveal unique aspects of parasite biology, but also uncover new avenues for transmission blocking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nila Johnson
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Nisha Philip
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FL, UK.
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20
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Rashidi S, Tuteja R, Mansouri R, Ali-Hassanzadeh M, Shafiei R, Ghani E, Karimazar M, Nguewa P, Manzano-Román R. The main post-translational modifications and related regulatory pathways in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum: An update. J Proteomics 2021; 245:104279. [PMID: 34089893 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2021.104279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
There are important challenges when investigating individual post-translational modifications (PTMs) or protein interaction network and delineating if PTMs or their changes and cross-talks are involved during infection, disease initiation or as a result of disease progression. Proteomics and in silico approaches now offer the possibility to complement each other to further understand the regulatory involvement of these modifications in parasites and infection biology. Accordingly, the current review highlights key expressed or altered proteins and PTMs are invisible switches that turn on and off the function of most of the proteins. PTMs include phosphorylation, glycosylation, ubiquitylation, palmitoylation, myristoylation, prenylation, acetylation, methylation, and epigenetic PTMs in P. falciparum which have been recently identified. But also other low-abundant or overlooked PTMs that might be important for the parasite's survival, infectivity, antigenicity, immunomodulation and pathogenesis. We here emphasize the PTMs as regulatory pathways playing major roles in the biology, pathogenicity, metabolic pathways, survival, host-parasite interactions and the life cycle of P. falciparum. Further validations and functional characterizations of such proteins might confirm the discovery of therapeutic targets and might most likely provide valuable data for the treatment of P. falciparum, the main cause of severe malaria in human.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajad Rashidi
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Renu Tuteja
- Parasite Biology Group, ICGEB, P. O. Box 10504, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Reza Mansouri
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Yazd, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali-Hassanzadeh
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiroft University of Medical Sciences, Jiroft, Iran
| | - Reza Shafiei
- Vector-borne Diseases Research Center, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran
| | - Esmaeel Ghani
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | - Mohammadreza Karimazar
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Paul Nguewa
- University of Navarra, ISTUN Instituto de Salud Tropical, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, IdiSNA (Navarra Institute for Health Research), c/Irunlarrea 1, 31008 Pamplona, Spain.
| | - Raúl Manzano-Román
- Proteomics Unit, Cancer Research Centre (IBMCC/CSIC/USAL/IBSAL), 37007, Salamanca, Spain.
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21
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Mukherjee P, Burgio G, Heitlinger E. Dual RNA Sequencing Meta-analysis in Plasmodium Infection Identifies Host-Parasite Interactions. mSystems 2021; 6:e00182-21. [PMID: 33879496 PMCID: PMC8546971 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00182-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Dual RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) is the simultaneous transcriptomic analysis of interacting symbionts, for example, in malaria. Potential cross-species interactions identified by correlated gene expression might highlight interlinked signaling, metabolic, or gene regulatory pathways in addition to physically interacting proteins. Often, malaria studies address one of the interacting organisms-host or parasite-rendering the other "contamination." Here we perform a meta-analysis using such studies for cross-species expression analysis. We screened experiments for gene expression from host and Plasmodium. Out of 171 studies in Homo sapiens, Macaca mulatta, and Mus musculus, we identified 63 potential studies containing host and parasite data. While 16 studies (1,950 samples) explicitly performed dual RNA-Seq, 47 (1,398 samples) originally focused on one organism. We found 915 experimental replicates from 20 blood studies to be suitable for coexpression analysis and used orthologs for meta-analysis across different host-parasite systems. Centrality metrics from the derived gene expression networks correlated with gene essentiality in the parasites. We found indications of host immune response to elements of the Plasmodium protein degradation system, an antimalarial drug target. We identified well-studied immune responses in the host with our coexpression networks, as our approach recovers known broad processes interlinked between hosts and parasites in addition to individual host and parasite protein associations. The set of core interactions represents commonalities between human malaria and its model systems for prioritization in laboratory experiments. Our approach might also allow insights into the transferability of model systems for different pathways in malaria studies.IMPORTANCE Malaria still causes about 400,000 deaths a year and is one of the most studied infectious diseases. The disease is studied in mice and monkeys as lab models to derive potential therapeutic intervention in human malaria. Interactions between Plasmodium spp. and its hosts are either conserved across different host-parasite systems or idiosyncratic to those systems. Here we use correlation of gene expression from different RNA-Seq studies to infer common host-parasite interactions across human, mouse, and monkey studies. First, we find a set of very conserved interactors, worth further scrutiny in focused laboratory experiments. Second, this work might help assess to which extent experiments and knowledge on different pathways can be transferred from models to humans for potential therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parnika Mukherjee
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
- Research Group Ecology and Evolution of Molecular Parasite-Host Interactions, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Berlin, Germany
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Gaétan Burgio
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Emanuel Heitlinger
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
- Research Group Ecology and Evolution of Molecular Parasite-Host Interactions, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Berlin, Germany
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22
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Simwela NV, Hughes KR, Rennie MT, Barrett MP, Waters AP. Mammalian Deubiquitinating Enzyme Inhibitors Display in Vitro and in Vivo Activity against Malaria Parasites and Potentiate Artemisinin Action. ACS Infect Dis 2021; 7:333-346. [PMID: 33400499 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.0c00580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) is an emerging drug target in malaria due to its essential role in the parasite's life cycle stages as well its contribution to resistance to artemisinins. Polymorphisms in the Kelch13 gene of Plasmodium falciparum are primary markers of artemisinin resistance and among other things are phenotypically characterized by an overactive UPS. Inhibitors targeting the proteasome, critical components of the UPS, display activity in malaria parasites and synergize artemisinin action. Here we report the activity of small molecule inhibitors targeting mammalian deubiquitinating enzymes, DUBs (upstream UPS components), in malaria parasites. We show that generic DUB inhibitors can block intraerythrocytic development of malaria parasites in vitro and possess antiparasitic activity in vivo and can be used in combination with additive to synergistic effect. We also show that inhibition of these upstream components of the UPS can potentiate the activity of artemisinin in vitro as well as in vivo to the extent that artemisinin resistance can be overcome. Combinations of DUB inhibitors anticipated to target different DUB activities and downstream proteasome inhibitors are even more effective at improving the potency of artemisinins than either inhibitors alone, providing proof that targeting multiple UPS activities simultaneously could be an attractive approach to overcoming artemisinin resistance. These data further validate the parasite UPS as a target to both enhance artemisinin action and potentially overcome resistance. Lastly, we confirm that DUB inhibitors can be developed into in vivo antimalarial drugs with promise for activity against all of human malaria and could thus further exploit their current pursuit as anticancer agents in rapid drug repurposing programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelson V. Simwela
- Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland G12 8TA, United Kingdom
| | - Katie R. Hughes
- Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland G12 8TA, United Kingdom
| | - Michael T. Rennie
- Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland G12 8TA, United Kingdom
| | - Michael P. Barrett
- Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland G12 8TA, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew P. Waters
- Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland G12 8TA, United Kingdom
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23
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Cobb DW, Kudyba HM, Villegas A, Hoopmann MR, Baptista RP, Bruton B, Krakowiak M, Moritz RL, Muralidharan V. A redox-active crosslinker reveals an essential and inhibitable oxidative folding network in the endoplasmic reticulum of malaria parasites. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009293. [PMID: 33534803 PMCID: PMC7886143 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria remains a major global health problem, creating a constant need for research to identify druggable weaknesses in P. falciparum biology. As important components of cellular redox biology, members of the Thioredoxin (Trx) superfamily of proteins have received interest as potential drug targets in Apicomplexans. However, the function and essentiality of endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-localized Trx-domain proteins within P. falciparum has not been investigated. We generated conditional mutants of the protein PfJ2—an ER chaperone and member of the Trx superfamily—and show that it is essential for asexual parasite survival. Using a crosslinker specific for redox-active cysteines, we identified PfJ2 substrates as PfPDI8 and PfPDI11, both members of the Trx superfamily as well, which suggests a redox-regulatory role for PfJ2. Knockdown of these PDIs in PfJ2 conditional mutants show that PfPDI11 may not be essential. However, PfPDI8 is required for asexual growth and our data suggest it may work in a complex with PfJ2 and other ER chaperones. Finally, we show that the redox interactions between these Trx-domain proteins in the parasite ER and their substrates are sensitive to small molecule inhibition. Together these data build a model for how Trx-domain proteins in the P. falciparum ER work together to assist protein folding and demonstrate the suitability of ER-localized Trx-domain proteins for antimalarial drug development. One of the leading and persistent causes of childhood mortality in the world is malaria, which is caused by parasites from the genus Plasmodium. Unfortunately, the parasite has developed resistance to all available drugs, making the discovery of new drug targets and potential small molecule inhibitors of essential parasite biology a top priority. A critical pathway required for many different biological processes in the parasite is oxidative folding which requires members of the Thioredoxin (Trx) superfamily of proteins. But we know almost nothing about the function and essentiality of Trx-domain proteins that localize to the endoplasmic reticulum, the origin of the secretory pathway, within P. falciparum. Here we show that a network of Trx-domain containing proteins function together and are essential for parasite survival within human red blood cells. Further, we identify a small molecule inhibitor of the redox activities of these Trx-domain containing proteins. This study demonstrates the suitability of this pathway for future antimalarial drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W. Cobb
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Georgia, United States of America
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Heather M. Kudyba
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Georgia, United States of America
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Alejandra Villegas
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Georgia, United States of America
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Michael R. Hoopmann
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Rodrigo P. Baptista
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Georgia, United States of America
- Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Baylee Bruton
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Michelle Krakowiak
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Georgia, United States of America
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Robert L. Moritz
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Vasant Muralidharan
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Georgia, United States of America
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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24
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Update on relevant trypanosome peptidases: Validated targets and future challenges. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2020; 1869:140577. [PMID: 33271348 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2020.140577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of the American Trypanosomiasis, Chagas disease, and Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, the agents of Sleeping sickness (Human African Trypanosomiasis, HAT), as well as Trypanosoma brucei brucei, the agent of the cattle disease nagana, contain cysteine, serine, threonine, aspartyl and metallo peptidases. The most abundant among these enzymes are the cysteine proteases from the Clan CA, the Cathepsin L-like cruzipain and rhodesain, and the Cathepsin B-like enzymes, which have essential roles in the parasites and thus are potential targets for chemotherapy. In addition, several other proteases, present in one or both parasites, have been characterized, and some of them are also promising candidates for the developing of new drugs. Recently, new inhibitors, with good selectivity for the parasite proteasomes, have been described and are very promising as lead compounds for the development of new therapies for these neglected diseases. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: "Play and interplay of proteases in health and disease".
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25
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Characterization of Plasmodium falciparum NEDD8 and identification of cullins as its substrates. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20220. [PMID: 33214620 PMCID: PMC7677368 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77001-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A variety of post-translational modifications of Plasmodium falciparum proteins, including phosphorylation and ubiquitination, are shown to have key regulatory roles during parasite development. NEDD8 is a ubiquitin-like modifier of cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligases, which regulates diverse cellular processes. Although neddylation is conserved in eukaryotes, it is yet to be characterized in Plasmodium and related apicomplexan parasites. We characterized P. falciparum NEDD8 (PfNEDD8) and identified cullins as its physiological substrates. PfNEDD8 is a 76 amino acid residue protein without the C-terminal tail, indicating that it can be readily conjugated. The wild type and mutant (Gly75Ala/Gly76Ala) PfNEDD8 were expressed in P. falciparum. Western blot of wild type PfNEDD8-expressing parasites indicated multiple high molecular weight conjugates, which were absent in the parasites expressing the mutant, indicating conjugation of NEDD8 through Gly76. Immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry of wild type PfNEDD8-expressing parasites identified two putative cullins. Furthermore, we expressed PfNEDD8 in mutant S. cerevisiae strains that lacked endogenous NEDD8 (rub1Δ) or NEDD8 conjugating E2 enzyme (ubc12Δ). The PfNEDD8 immunoprecipitate also contained S. cerevisiae cullin cdc53, further substantiating cullins as physiological substrates of PfNEDD8. Our findings lay ground for investigation of specific roles and drug target potential of neddylation in malaria parasites.
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26
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Ghosh S, Farr L, Singh A, Leaton LA, Padalia J, Shirley DA, Sullivan D, Moonah S. COP9 signalosome is an essential and druggable parasite target that regulates protein degradation. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008952. [PMID: 32960936 PMCID: PMC7531848 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding how the protozoan protein degradation pathway is regulated could uncover new parasite biology for drug discovery. We found the COP9 signalosome (CSN) conserved in multiple pathogens such as Leishmania, Trypanosoma, Toxoplasma, and used the severe diarrhea-causing Entamoeba histolytica to study its function in medically significant protozoa. We show that CSN is an essential upstream regulator of parasite protein degradation. Genetic disruption of E. histolytica CSN by two distinct approaches inhibited cell proliferation and viability. Both CSN5 knockdown and dominant negative mutation trapped cullin in a neddylated state, disrupting UPS activity and protein degradation. In addition, zinc ditiocarb (ZnDTC), a main metabolite of the inexpensive FDA-approved globally-available drug disulfiram, was active against parasites acting in a COP9-dependent manner. ZnDTC, given as disulfiram-zinc, had oral efficacy in clearing parasites in vivo. Our findings provide insights into the regulation of parasite protein degradation, and supports the significant therapeutic potential of COP9 inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swagata Ghosh
- Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Laura Farr
- Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Aditya Singh
- Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Laura-Ann Leaton
- Division of Biomedical Informatics and Personalized Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States of America
| | - Jay Padalia
- Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Debbie-Ann Shirley
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - David Sullivan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Shannon Moonah
- Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
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27
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Rosenthal MR, Ng CL. Plasmodium falciparum Artemisinin Resistance: The Effect of Heme, Protein Damage, and Parasite Cell Stress Response. ACS Infect Dis 2020; 6:1599-1614. [PMID: 32324369 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.9b00527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite a significant decline in morbidity and mortality over the last two decades, in 2018 there were 228 million reported cases of malaria and 405000 malaria-related deaths. Artemisinin, the cornerstone of artemisinin-based combination therapies, is the most potent drug in the antimalarial armamentarium against falciparum malaria. Heme-mediated activation of artemisinin and its derivatives results in widespread parasite protein alkylation, which is thought to lead to parasite death. Alarmingly, cases of decreased artemisinin efficacy have been widely detected across Cambodia and in neighboring countries, and a few cases have been reported in the Guiana Shield, India, and Africa. The grim prospect of widespread artemisinin resistance propelled a concerted effort to understand the mechanisms of artemisinin action and resistance. The identification of genetic markers and the knowledge of molecular mechanisms underpinning artemisinin resistance allow prospective surveillance and inform future drug development strategies, respectively. Here, we highlight recent advances in our understanding of how parasite vesicle trafficking, hemoglobin digestion, and cell stress responses contribute to artemisinin resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa R. Rosenthal
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Caroline L. Ng
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
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28
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Green JL, Wu Y, Encheva V, Lasonder E, Prommaban A, Kunzelmann S, Christodoulou E, Grainger M, Truongvan N, Bothe S, Sharma V, Song W, Pinzuti I, Uthaipibull C, Srichairatanakool S, Birault V, Langsley G, Schindelin H, Stieglitz B, Snijders AP, Holder AA. Ubiquitin activation is essential for schizont maturation in Plasmodium falciparum blood-stage development. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008640. [PMID: 32569299 PMCID: PMC7332102 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Ubiquitylation is a common post translational modification of eukaryotic proteins and in the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) overall ubiquitylation increases in the transition from intracellular schizont to extracellular merozoite stages in the asexual blood stage cycle. Here, we identify specific ubiquitylation sites of protein substrates in three intraerythrocytic parasite stages and extracellular merozoites; a total of 1464 sites in 546 proteins were identified (data available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD014998). 469 ubiquitylated proteins were identified in merozoites compared with only 160 in the preceding intracellular schizont stage, suggesting a large increase in protein ubiquitylation associated with merozoite maturation. Following merozoite invasion of erythrocytes, few ubiquitylated proteins were detected in the first intracellular ring stage but as parasites matured through trophozoite to schizont stages the apparent extent of ubiquitylation increased. We identified commonly used ubiquitylation motifs and groups of ubiquitylated proteins in specific areas of cellular function, for example merozoite pellicle proteins involved in erythrocyte invasion, exported proteins, and histones. To investigate the importance of ubiquitylation we screened ubiquitin pathway inhibitors in a parasite growth assay and identified the ubiquitin activating enzyme (UBA1 or E1) inhibitor MLN7243 (TAK-243) to be particularly effective. This small molecule was shown to be a potent inhibitor of recombinant PfUBA1, and a structural homology model of MLN7243 bound to the parasite enzyme highlights avenues for the development of P. falciparum specific inhibitors. We created a genetically modified parasite with a rapamycin-inducible functional deletion of uba1; addition of either MLN7243 or rapamycin to the recombinant parasite line resulted in the same phenotype, with parasite development blocked at the schizont stage. Nuclear division and formation of intracellular structures was interrupted. These results indicate that the intracellular target of MLN7243 is UBA1, and this activity is essential for the final differentiation of schizonts to merozoites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith L. Green
- Malaria Parasitology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yang Wu
- Malaria Parasitology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Vesela Encheva
- Mass Spectrometry Proteomics, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Edwin Lasonder
- School of Biomedical Science, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Adchara Prommaban
- Malaria Parasitology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Biochemistry, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Simone Kunzelmann
- Structural Biology Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Evangelos Christodoulou
- Structural Biology Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Munira Grainger
- Malaria Parasitology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ngoc Truongvan
- Rudolf Virchow Center for Experimental Biomedicine, Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Bothe
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Vikram Sharma
- School of Biomedical Science, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Wei Song
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Irene Pinzuti
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Chairat Uthaipibull
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Khlong Luang, Thailand
| | | | | | - Gordon Langsley
- Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire Comparative des Apicomplexes, Institut Cochin, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France
| | - Hermann Schindelin
- Rudolf Virchow Center for Experimental Biomedicine, Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Benjamin Stieglitz
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Anthony A. Holder
- Malaria Parasitology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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29
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Dash M, Pande V, Sinha A. Putative circumsporozoite protein (CSP) of Plasmodium vivax is considerably distinct from the well-known CSP and plays a role in the protein ubiquitination pathway. Gene 2020; 721S:100024. [PMID: 32550551 PMCID: PMC7285988 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2019.100024] [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: 07/01/2019] [Revised: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Amidst technical challenges which limit successful culture and genetic manipulation of P. vivax parasites, we used a computational approach to identify a critical target with evolutionary significance. The putative circumsporozoite protein on chromosome 13 of P. vivax (PvpuCSP)is distinct from the well-known vaccine candidate PfCSP. The aim of this study was to understand the role of PvpuCSP and its relatedness to the well-known CSP. The study revealed PvpuCSP as a membrane bound E3 ubiquitin ligase involved in ubiquitination. It has a species-specific tetra-peptide unit which is differentially repeated in various P. vivax strains. The PvpuCSP is different from CSP in terms of stage-specific expression and function. Since E3 ubiquitin ligases are known antimalarial drug targets targeting the proteasome pathway, PvpuCSP, with evolutionary connotation and a key role in orchestrating protein degradation in P. vivax, can be explored as a potential drug target. PvpuCSP is predicted as E3 ubiquitin ligase, a part of ubiquitination pathway. Tetra-peptide tandem repeat at C terminal of PvpuCSP is exclusive to P. vivax. Moderately expressed during all parasitic stages in host and vector Partially disordered protein with both structured domains and two distinct IDRs A transmembrane protein with highly conserved functional domain across Apicomplexa
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoswini Dash
- Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Research, ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Veena Pande
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhimtal Campus, Kumaun University, Nainital, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Abhinav Sinha
- Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Research, ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India
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30
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Mata-Cantero L, Chaparro MJ, Colmenarejo G, Cid C, Cortes Cabrera A, Rodriguez MS, Martín J, Gamo FJ, Gomez-Lorenzo MG. Identification of Small Molecules Disrupting the Ubiquitin Proteasome System in Malaria. ACS Infect Dis 2019; 5:2105-2117. [PMID: 31644867 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.9b00216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) is one of the main proteolytic pathways in eukaryotic cells, playing an essential role in key cellular processes such as cell cycling and signal transduction. Changes in some of the components of this pathway have been implicated in various conditions, including cancer and infectious diseases such as malaria. The success of therapies based on proteasome inhibitors has been shown in human clinical trials. In addition to its proven tractability, the essentiality of the Plasmodium falciparum UPS underlines its potential as a source of targets to identify new antimalarial treatments. Two assays, previously developed to quantify the parasite protein ubiquitylation levels in a high throughput format, have been used to identify compounds that inhibit parasite growth by targeting P. falciparum UPS. Among the positive hits, specific inhibitors of the P. falciparum proteasome have been identified and characterized. Hits identified using this approach may be used as starting points for development of new antimalarial drugs. They may also be used as tools to further understand proteasome function and to identify new targets in P. falciparum UPS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Mata-Cantero
- Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus, Diseases of the Developing World. GlaxoSmithKline, Severo Ochoa 2, Tres Cantos, 28760 Madrid, Spain
| | - María Jesús Chaparro
- Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus, Diseases of the Developing World. GlaxoSmithKline, Severo Ochoa 2, Tres Cantos, 28760 Madrid, Spain
| | - Gonzalo Colmenarejo
- Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus, Diseases of the Developing World. GlaxoSmithKline, Severo Ochoa 2, Tres Cantos, 28760 Madrid, Spain
- IMDEA Food, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Unit, Ctra Cantoblanco 8, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Concepción Cid
- Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus, Diseases of the Developing World. GlaxoSmithKline, Severo Ochoa 2, Tres Cantos, 28760 Madrid, Spain
| | - Alvaro Cortes Cabrera
- Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus, Diseases of the Developing World. GlaxoSmithKline, Severo Ochoa 2, Tres Cantos, 28760 Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel S. Rodriguez
- Université de Toulouse, ITAV CNRS and IPBS CNRS, 1 place Pierre Potier, Oncopole entrée B, 31106 Toulouse, France
| | - Julio Martín
- Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus, Diseases of the Developing World. GlaxoSmithKline, Severo Ochoa 2, Tres Cantos, 28760 Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Javier Gamo
- Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus, Diseases of the Developing World. GlaxoSmithKline, Severo Ochoa 2, Tres Cantos, 28760 Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria G. Gomez-Lorenzo
- Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus, Diseases of the Developing World. GlaxoSmithKline, Severo Ochoa 2, Tres Cantos, 28760 Madrid, Spain
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31
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Xie SC, Dick LR, Gould A, Brand S, Tilley L. The proteasome as a target for protozoan parasites. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2019; 23:903-914. [PMID: 31679410 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2019.1685981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: The proteasome is a multi-subunit enzyme complex responsible for the turnover of short-lived, abnormal or damaged proteins in eukaryotic cells. As organisms that undergo rapid growth and cell division, protozoan parasites exist on the knife-edge of proteotoxic catastrophe and thus rely heavily on their protein quality control machinery for survival. Because of this, the proteasome has recently emerged as a desirable drug target.Area covered: This review focuses on efforts to identify protozoan parasite-specific proteasome inhibitors using substrate profiling, library screening, and in vitro evolution of resistance approaches to inform medicinal chemistry. Targeting the parasite's 20S proteasome chymotrypsin-like (β5) activity and selectively inhibiting protein turnover in parasites compared to human cells are critical properties of potent, selective inhibitors.Expert opinion: Proteasome inhibitors have the potential for rapid action against all stages, all species and all strains of plasmodium and kinetoplastid parasites. Given the high level of conservation of proteasome active sites in eukaryotes, an important challenge is achieving inhibitors that show sufficient selectivity while maintaining properties consistent with drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanley C Xie
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Alexandra Gould
- Oncology Chemistry, Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Stephen Brand
- Medicines for Malaria Venture, CH-1215 Geneva 15, Switzerland
| | - Leann Tilley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
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Zmuda F, Sastry L, Shepherd SM, Jones D, Scott A, Craggs PD, Cortes A, Gray DW, Torrie LS, De Rycker M. Identification of Novel Trypanosoma cruzi Proteasome Inhibitors Using a Luminescence-Based High-Throughput Screening Assay. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2019; 63:e00309-19. [PMID: 31307977 PMCID: PMC6709497 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00309-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas' disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is a potentially life-threatening condition that has become a global issue. Current treatment is limited to two medicines that require prolonged dosing and are associated with multiple side effects, which often lead to treatment discontinuation and failure. One way to address these shortcomings is through target-based drug discovery on validated T. cruzi protein targets. One such target is the proteasome, which plays a crucial role in protein degradation and turnover through chymotrypsin-, trypsin-, and caspase-like catalytic activities. In order to initiate a proteasome drug discovery program, we isolated proteasomes from T. cruzi epimastigotes and characterized their activity using a commercially available glow-like luminescence-based assay. We developed a high-throughput biochemical assay for the chymotrypsin-like activity of the T. cruzi proteasome, which was found to be sensitive, specific, and robust but prone to luminescence technology interference. To mitigate this, we also developed a counterscreen assay that identifies potential interferers at the levels of both the luciferase enzyme reporter and the mechanism responsible for a glow-like response. Interestingly, we also found that the peptide substrate for chymotrypsin-like proteasome activity was not specific and was likely partially turned over by other catalytic sites of the protein. Finally, we utilized these biochemical tools to screen 18,098 compounds, exploring diverse drug-like chemical space, which allowed us to identify 39 hits that were active in the primary screening assay and inactive in the counterscreen assay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Zmuda
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Lalitha Sastry
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Sharon M Shepherd
- Protein Production Team, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Deuan Jones
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Alison Scott
- Protein Production Team, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Peter D Craggs
- Screening Compound Profiling and Mechanistic Biology, Platform Technology and Science, GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage, United Kingdom
| | - Alvaro Cortes
- Screening Compound Profiling and Mechanistic Biology, Platform Technology and Science, GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage, United Kingdom
| | - David W Gray
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Leah S Torrie
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Manu De Rycker
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
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Proteomic analysis of Plasmodium falciparum response to isocryptolepine derivative. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0220871. [PMID: 31393938 PMCID: PMC6687117 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug-resistant strains of malaria parasites have emerged for most of antimalarial medications. A new chemotherapeutic compound is needed for malarial therapy. Antimalarial activity against both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant P. falciparum has been reported for an isocryptolepine derivative, 8-bromo-2-fluoro-5-methyl-5H-indolo[3,2-c]quinoline (ICL-M), which also showed less toxicity to human cells. ICL-M has indoloquinoline as a core structure and its mode of action remains unclear. Here, we explored the mechanisms of ICL-M in P. falciparum by assessing the stage-specific activity, time-dependent effect, a proteomic analysis and morphology. Since human topo II activity inhibition has been reported as a function of isocryptolepine derivatives, malarial topo II activity inhibition of ICL-M was also examined in this study. The ICL-M exhibited antimalarial activity against both the ring and trophozoite stages of P. falciparum. Our proteomics analysis revealed that a total of 112 P. falciparum proteins were differentially expressed after ICL-M exposure; among these, 58 and 54 proteins were upregulated and downregulated, respectively. Proteins localized in the food vacuole, nucleus, and cytoplasm showed quantitative alterations after ICL-M treatment. A bioinformatic analysis revealed that pathways associated with ribosomes, proteasomes, metabolic pathways, amino acid biosynthesis, oxidative phosphorylation, and carbon metabolism were significantly different in P. falciparum treated with ICL-M. Moreover, a loss of ribosomes was clearly observed by transmission electron microscopy in the ICL-M-treated P. falciparum. This finding is in agreement with the proteomics data, which revealed downregulated levels of ribosomal proteins following ICL-M treatment. Our results provide important information about the mechanisms by which ICL-M affects the malaria parasite, which may facilitate the drug development of isocryptolepine derivatives.
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Burdukiewicz M, Sobczyk P, Chilimoniuk J, Gagat P, Mackiewicz P. Prediction of Signal Peptides in Proteins from Malaria Parasites. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E3709. [PMID: 30469512 PMCID: PMC6321056 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19123709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Revised: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 11/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Signal peptides are N-terminal presequences responsible for targeting proteins to the endomembrane system, and subsequent subcellular or extracellular compartments, and consequently condition their proper function. The significance of signal peptides stimulates development of new computational methods for their detection. These methods employ learning systems trained on datasets comprising signal peptides from different types of proteins and taxonomic groups. As a result, the accuracy of predictions are high in the case of signal peptides that are well-represented in databases, but might be low in other, atypical cases. Such atypical signal peptides are present in proteins found in apicomplexan parasites, causative agents of malaria and toxoplasmosis. Apicomplexan proteins have a unique amino acid composition due to their AT-biased genomes. Therefore, we designed a new, more flexible and universal probabilistic model for recognition of atypical eukaryotic signal peptides. Our approach called signalHsmm includes knowledge about the structure of signal peptides and physicochemical properties of amino acids. It is able to recognize signal peptides from the malaria parasites and related species more accurately than popular programs. Moreover, it is still universal enough to provide prediction of other signal peptides on par with the best preforming predictors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Burdukiewicz
- Faculty of Mathematics and Information Science, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-661 Warszawa, Poland.
| | - Piotr Sobczyk
- Department of Mathematics, Wrocław University of Technology, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland.
| | | | - Przemysław Gagat
- Department of Genomics, University of Wrocław, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland.
| | - Paweł Mackiewicz
- Department of Genomics, University of Wrocław, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland.
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Krishnan KM, Williamson KC. The proteasome as a target to combat malaria: hits and misses. Transl Res 2018; 198:40-47. [PMID: 30009761 PMCID: PMC6422032 DOI: 10.1016/j.trsl.2018.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Revised: 04/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The proteasome plays a vital role throughout the life cycle as Plasmodium parasites quickly adapt to a new host and undergo a series of morphologic changes during asexual replication and sexual differentiation. Plasmodium carries 3 different types of protease complexes: typical eukaryotic proteasome (26S) that resides in the cytoplasm and the nucleus, a prokaryotic proteasome homolog ClpQ that resides in the mitochondria, and a caseinolytic protease complex ClpP that resides in the apicoplast. In silico prediction in conjunction with immunoprecipitation analysis of ubiquitin conjugates have suggested that over half of the Plasmodium falciparum proteome during asexual reproduction are potential targets for ubiquitination. The marked potency of multiple classes of proteasome inhibitors against all stages of the life cycle, synergy with the current frontline antimalarial, artemisinin, and recent advances identifying differences between Plasmodium and human proteasomes strongly support further drug development efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kim C Williamson
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland.
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Boland A, Chang L, Barford D. The potential of cryo-electron microscopy for structure-based drug design. Essays Biochem 2017; 61:543-560. [PMID: 29118099 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20170032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2017] [Revised: 09/29/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Structure-based drug design plays a central role in therapeutic development. Until recently, protein crystallography and NMR have dominated experimental approaches to obtain structural information of biological molecules. However, in recent years rapid technical developments in single particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) have enabled the determination to near-atomic resolution of macromolecules ranging from large multi-subunit molecular machines to proteins as small as 64 kDa. These advances have revolutionized structural biology by hugely expanding both the range of macromolecules whose structures can be determined, and by providing a description of macromolecular dynamics. Cryo-EM is now poised to similarly transform the discipline of structure-based drug discovery. This article reviews the potential of cryo-EM for drug discovery with reference to protein ligand complex structures determined using this technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Boland
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, U.K
| | - Leifu Chang
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, U.K
| | - David Barford
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, U.K.
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Blasco B, Leroy D, Fidock DA. Antimalarial drug resistance: linking Plasmodium falciparum parasite biology to the clinic. Nat Med 2017; 23:917-928. [PMID: 28777791 DOI: 10.1038/nm.4381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 325] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The global adoption of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) in the early 2000s heralded a new era in effectively treating drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria. However, several Southeast Asian countries have now reported the emergence of parasites that have decreased susceptibility to artemisinin (ART) derivatives and ACT partner drugs, resulting in increasing rates of treatment failures. Here we review recent advances in understanding how antimalarials act and how resistance develops, and discuss new strategies for effectively combatting resistance, optimizing treatment and advancing the global campaign to eliminate malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Didier Leroy
- Medicines for Malaria Venture, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - David A Fidock
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
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