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Trajano-Silva LAM, Mule SN, Palmisano G. Molecular tools to regulate gene expression in Trypanosoma cruzi. Adv Clin Chem 2024; 120:169-190. [PMID: 38762241 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acc.2024.04.008] [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] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Developing molecular strategies to manipulate gene expression in trypanosomatids is challenging, particularly with respect to the unique gene expression mechanisms adopted by these unicellular parasites, such as polycistronic mRNA transcription and multi-gene families. In the case of Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), the causative agent of Chagas Disease, the lack of RNA interference machinery further complicated functional genetic studies important for understanding parasitic biology and developing biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets. Therefore, alternative methods of performing knockout and/or endogenous labelling experiments were developed to identify and understand the function of proteins for survival and interaction with the host. In this review, we present the main tools for the genetic manipulation of T. cruzi, focusing on the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats Cas9-associated system technique widely used in this organism. Moreover, we highlight the importance of using these tools to elucidate the function of uncharacterized and glycosylated proteins. Further developments of these technologies will allow the identification of new biomarkers, therapeutic targets and potential vaccines against Chagas disease with greater efficiency and speed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lays Adrianne M Trajano-Silva
- Glycoproteomic Laboratory, Parasitology Department, Institute of Biomedical Science II, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Simon Ngao Mule
- Glycoproteomic Laboratory, Parasitology Department, Institute of Biomedical Science II, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Giuseppe Palmisano
- Glycoproteomic Laboratory, Parasitology Department, Institute of Biomedical Science II, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil; School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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Sabalette KB, Campo VA, Sotelo-Silveira JR, Smircich P, De Gaudenzi JG. Transcriptomic analysis of N-terminal mutated Trypanosoma cruzi UBP1 knockdown underlines the importance of this RNA-binding protein in parasite development. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012179. [PMID: 38758959 PMCID: PMC11139272 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012179] [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: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During its life cycle, the human pathogen Trypanosoma cruzi must quickly adapt to different environments, in which the variation in the gene expression of the regulatory U-rich RNA-binding protein 1 (TcUBP1) plays a crucial role. We have previously demonstrated that the overexpression of TcUBP1 in insect-dwelling epimastigotes orchestrates an RNA regulon to promote differentiation to infective forms. METHODS In an attempt to generate TcUBP1 knockout parasites by using CRISPR-Cas9 technology, in the present study, we obtained a variant transcript that encodes a protein with 95% overall identity and a modified N-terminal sequence. The expression of this mutant protein, named TcUBP1mut, was notably reduced compared to that of the endogenous form found in normal cells. TcUBP1mut-knockdown epimastigotes exhibited normal growth and differentiation into infective metacyclic trypomastigotes and were capable of infecting mammalian cells. RESULTS We analyzed the RNA-Seq expression profiles of these parasites and identified 276 up- and 426 downregulated genes with respect to the wildtype control sample. RNA-Seq comparison across distinct developmental stages revealed that the transcriptomic profile of these TcUBP1mut-knockdown epimastigotes significantly differs not only from that of epimastigotes in the stationary phase but also from the gene expression landscape characteristic of infective forms. This is both contrary to and consistent with the results of our recent study involving TcUBP1-overexpressing cells. CONCLUSION Together, our findings demonstrate that the genes exhibiting opposite changes under overexpression and knockdown conditions unveil key mRNA targets regulated by TcUBP1. These mostly encompass transcripts that encode for trypomastigote-specific surface glycoproteins and ribosomal proteins, supporting a role for TcUBP1 in determining the molecular characteristics of the infective stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina B. Sabalette
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de San Martín—Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, General San Martín, Prov. de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (EByN), Universidad Nacional de San Martín, General San Martín, Prov. de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Vanina A. Campo
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de San Martín—Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, General San Martín, Prov. de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (EByN), Universidad Nacional de San Martín, General San Martín, Prov. de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - José R. Sotelo-Silveira
- Department of Genomics, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Instituto de Biología, School of Sciences, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Pablo Smircich
- Department of Genomics, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Instituto de Biología, School of Sciences, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Javier G. De Gaudenzi
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de San Martín—Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, General San Martín, Prov. de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (EByN), Universidad Nacional de San Martín, General San Martín, Prov. de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Romagnoli BAA, Lucena ACR, Freire ER, Munhoz da Rocha IF, Alves LR, Goldenberg S. TcZC3HTTP, a regulatory element that contributes to Trypanosoma cruzi cell proliferation. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0288023. [PMID: 38270449 PMCID: PMC10913370 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02880-23] [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: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression is a critical process for adapting to and surviving Trypanosoma cruzi, a parasite with a complex life cycle. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are key players in this regulation, forming ribonucleoprotein complexes (messenger ribonucleoproteins) and RNA granules that control transcript stability, localization, degradation, and translation modulation. Understanding the specific roles of individual RBPs is crucial for unraveling the details of this regulatory network. In this study, we generated null mutants of the TcZC3HTTP gene, a specific RBP in the Trypanosoma family characterized by a C3H zinc finger and a DNAJ domain associated with RNA and protein binding, respectively. Through cell growth assays, we demonstrated that the absence of TcZC3HTTP or the expression of an additional tagged version impacted epimastigote growth, indicating its contribution to cell proliferation. TcZC3HTTP was found to associate with mRNAs involved in cell cycle and division in epimastigotes, while in nutritionally stressed parasites it exhibited associations with mRNAs coding for other RBPs and rRNA. Furthermore, our analysis identified that TcZC3HTTP protein partners were different during normal growth conditions compared to starvation conditions, with the latter showing enrichment of ribosomal proteins and other RBPs. Therefore, this study provides insights into TcZC3HTTP's role in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression during normal growth and nutritional stress in T. cruzi, uncovering its versatile functions in different cellular contexts.IMPORTANCEUnderstanding how Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, regulates gene expression is crucial for developing targeted interventions. In this study, we investigated the role of TcZC3HTTP, an RNA-binding protein, in post-transcriptional regulation. Our findings demonstrate that TcZC3HTTP is relevant for the growth and proliferation of epimastigotes, a stage of the parasite's life cycle. We identified its associations with specific mRNAs involved in cell cycle and division and its interactions with enzymes and other RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) under normal and starvation conditions. These insights shed light on the regulatory network underlying gene expression in T. cruzi and reveal the multifaceted functions of RBPs in this parasite. Such knowledge enhances our understanding of the parasite's biology and opens avenues for developing novel therapeutic strategies targeting post-transcriptional gene regulation in T. cruzi.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aline Castro Rodrigues Lucena
- Laboratory for Applied Science and Technology in Health, Carlos Chagas Institute, Fiocruz PR, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Eden Ribeiro Freire
- Gene Expression Regulation Laboratory, Carlos Chagas Institute, Fiocruz PR, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | | | - Lysangela Ronalte. Alves
- Gene Expression Regulation Laboratory, Carlos Chagas Institute, Fiocruz PR, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
- Research Center in Infectious Diseases, Division of Infectious Disease and Immunity, CHU de Quebec Research Center, University Laval, Quebec, Canada
| | - Samuel Goldenberg
- Gene Expression Regulation Laboratory, Carlos Chagas Institute, Fiocruz PR, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
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Ferreira AZL, de Araújo CN, Cardoso ICC, de Souza Mangabeira KS, Rocha AP, Charneau S, Santana JM, Motta FN, Bastos IMD. Metacyclogenesis as the Starting Point of Chagas Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:117. [PMID: 38203289 PMCID: PMC10778605 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010117] [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: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is a neglected infectious disease caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, primarily transmitted by triatomine vectors, and it threatens approximately seventy-five million people worldwide. This parasite undergoes a complex life cycle, transitioning between hosts and shifting from extracellular to intracellular stages. To ensure its survival in these diverse environments, T. cruzi undergoes extreme morphological and molecular changes. The metacyclic trypomastigote (MT) form, which arises from the metacyclogenesis (MTG) process in the triatomine hindgut, serves as a crucial link between the insect and human hosts and can be considered the starting point of Chagas disease. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge regarding the parasite's life cycle, molecular pathways, and mechanisms involved in metabolic and morphological adaptations during MTG, enabling the MT to evade the immune system and successfully infect human cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carla Nunes de Araújo
- Pathogen-Host Interface Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
- Faculty of Ceilândia, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Isabela Cunha Costa Cardoso
- Pathogen-Host Interface Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
| | | | - Amanda Pereira Rocha
- Pathogen-Host Interface Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Sébastien Charneau
- Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Jaime Martins Santana
- Pathogen-Host Interface Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Flávia Nader Motta
- Pathogen-Host Interface Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
- Faculty of Ceilândia, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
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RNA-seq reveals that overexpression of TcUBP1 switches the gene expression pattern towards that of the infective form of Trypanosoma cruzi. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:104623. [PMID: 36935010 PMCID: PMC10141520 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Trypanosomes regulate gene expression mainly by using post-transcriptional mechanisms. Key factors responsible for carrying out this regulation are RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), affecting subcellular localization, translation, and/or transcript stability. Trypanosoma cruzi U-rich RBP 1 (TcUBP1) is a small protein that modulates the expression of several surface glycoproteins of the trypomastigote infective stage of the parasite. Its mRNA targets are known but the impact of its overexpression at the transcriptome level in the insect-dwelling epimastigote cells has not yet been investigated. Thus, in the present study, by using a tetracycline-inducible system, we generated a population of TcUBP1-overexpressing parasites and analyzed its effect by RNA-seq methodology. This allowed us to identify 793 up- and 371 down-regulated genes with respect to the wild-type control sample. Among the up-regulated genes, it was possible to identify members coding for the TcS superfamily, MASP, MUCI/II, and protein kinases, whereas among the down-regulated transcripts, we found mainly genes coding for ribosomal, mitochondrial, and synthetic pathway proteins. RNA-seq comparison with two previously published datasets revealed that the expression profile of this TcUBP1-overexpressing replicative epimastigote form resembles the transition to the infective metacyclic trypomastigote stage. We identified novel cis-regulatory elements in the 3'-untranslated region of the affected transcripts and confirmed that UBP1m -a signature TcUBP1 binding element previously characterized in our lab- is enriched in the list of stabilized genes. We can conclude that the overall effect of TcUBP1 overexpression on the epimastigote transcriptome is mainly the stabilization of mRNAs coding for proteins that are important for parasite infection.
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García-Huertas P, Cuesta-Astroz Y, Araque-Ruiz V, Cardona-Castro N. Transcriptional changes during metacyclogenesis of a Colombian Trypanosoma cruzi strain. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:625-634. [PMID: 36567399 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07766-3] [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: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
During its life cycle, Trypanosoma cruzi undergoes physiological modifications in order to adapt to insect vector and mammalian host conditions. Metacyclogenesis is essential, as the parasite acquires the ability to infect a variety of mammalian species, including humans, in which pathology is caused. In this work, the transcriptomes of metacyclic trypomastigotes and epimastigotes were analyzed in order to identify differentially expressed genes that may be involved in metacyclogenesis. Toward this end, in vitro induction of metacyclogenesis was performed and metacyclic trypomastigotes obtained. RNA-Seq was performed on triplicate samples of epimastigotes and metacyclic trypomastigotes. Differential gene expression analysis showed 513 genes, of which 221 were upregulated and 292 downregulated in metacyclic trypomastigotes. The analysis showed that these genes are related to biological processes relevant in metacyclogenesis. Within these processes, we found that most of the genes associated with infectivity and gene expression regulation were upregulated in metacyclic trypomastigotes, while genes involved in cell division, DNA replication, differentiation, cytoskeleton, and metabolism were mainly downregulated. The participation of some of these genes in T. cruzi metacyclogenesis is of interest, as they may be used as potential therapeutic targets in the design of new drugs for Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola García-Huertas
- Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Universidad CES, CP 055450, Sabaneta, Antioquia, Colombia.
| | - Yesid Cuesta-Astroz
- Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Universidad CES, CP 055450, Sabaneta, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Valentina Araque-Ruiz
- Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Universidad CES, CP 055450, Sabaneta, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Nora Cardona-Castro
- Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Universidad CES, CP 055450, Sabaneta, Antioquia, Colombia
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Burle-Caldas GDA, Grazielle-Silva V, Faustino LP, Teixeira SMR. CRISPR Genome Editing and the Study of Chagas Disease. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1429:111-125. [PMID: 37486519 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-33325-5_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is an illness that affects 6-8 million people worldwide and is responsible for approximately 50,000 deaths per year. Despite intense research efforts on Chagas disease and its causative agent, there is still a lack of effective treatments or strategies for disease control. Although significant progress has been made toward the elucidation of molecular mechanisms involved in host-parasite interactions, particularly immune evasion mechanisms, a deeper understanding of these processes has been hindered by a lack of efficient genetic manipulation protocols. One major challenge is the fact that several parasite virulence factors are encoded by multigene families, which constitute a distinctive feature of the T. cruzi genome. The recent advent of the CRISPR/Cas9 technology represented an enormous breakthrough in the studies involving T. cruzi genetic manipulation compared to previous protocols that are poorly efficient and required a long generation time to develop parasite mutants. Since the first publication of CRISPR gene editing in T. cruzi, in 2014, different groups have used distinct protocols to generated knockout mutants, parasites overexpressing a protein or expressing proteins with sequence tags inserted in the endogenous gene. Importantly, CRISPR gene editing allowed generation of parasite mutants with gene disruption in multi-copy gene families. We described four main strategies used to edit the T. cruzi genome and summarized a large list of studies performed by different groups in the past 7 years that are addressing several mechanisms involved with parasite proliferation, differentiation, and survival strategies within its different hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Viviane Grazielle-Silva
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Oliveira C, Holetz FB, Alves LR, Ávila AR. Modulation of Virulence Factors during Trypanosoma cruzi Differentiation. Pathogens 2022; 12:pathogens12010032. [PMID: 36678380 PMCID: PMC9865030 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12010032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. This protozoan developed several mechanisms to infect, propagate, and survive in different hosts. The specific expression of proteins is responsible for morphological and metabolic changes in different parasite stages along the parasite life cycle. The virulence strategies at the cellular and molecular levels consist of molecules responsible for mediating resistance mechanisms to oxidative damage, cellular invasion, and immune evasion, performed mainly by surface proteins. Since parasite surface coat remodeling is crucial to invasion and infectivity, surface proteins are essential virulence elements. Understanding the factors involved in these processes improves the knowledge of parasite pathogenesis. Genome sequencing has opened the door to high-throughput technologies, allowing us to obtain a deeper understanding of gene reprogramming along the parasite life cycle and identify critical molecules for survival. This review therefore focuses on proteins regulated during differentiation into infective forms considered virulence factors and addresses the current known mechanisms acting in the modulation of gene expression, emphasizing mRNA signals, regulatory factors, and protein complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Oliveira
- Laboratório de Regulação da Expressão Gênica, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fiocruz Paraná, Curitiba 81350-010, Brazil
- Centre de Recherche CERVO, Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Fabíola Barbieri Holetz
- Laboratório de Regulação da Expressão Gênica, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fiocruz Paraná, Curitiba 81350-010, Brazil
| | - Lysangela Ronalte Alves
- Laboratório de Regulação da Expressão Gênica, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fiocruz Paraná, Curitiba 81350-010, Brazil
- Research Center in Infectious Diseases, Division of Infectious Disease and Immunity CHU de Quebec Research Center, University Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 4G2, Canada
| | - Andréa Rodrigues Ávila
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Apicomplexa, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fiocruz Paraná, Curitiba 81350-010, Brazil
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +55-41-33163230
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Barros de Menezes RP, Fechine Tavares J, Kato MJ, da Rocha Coelho FA, Sousa Dos Santos AL, da Franca Rodrigues KA, Sessions ZL, Muratov EN, Scotti L, Tullius Scotti M. Natural Products from Annonaceae as Potential Antichagasic Agents. ChemMedChem 2022; 17:e202200196. [PMID: 35678042 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202200196] [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: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease, is endemic in 21 Latin American countries and particularly prevalent in Brazil. Chagas disease has drawn more attention in recent years due to its expansion into non-endemic areas. The aim of this work was to computationally identify and experimentally validate the natural products from an Annonaceae family as antichagasic agents. Through the ligand-based virtual screening, we identified 57 molecules with potential activity against the epimastigote form of T. cruzi. Then, 16 molecules were analyzed in the in vitro study, of which, six molecules displayed previously unknown antiepimastigote activity. We also evaluated these six molecules for trypanocidal activity. We observed that all six molecules have potential activity against the amastigote form, but no molecules were active against the trypomastigote form. 13-Epicupressic acid seems to be the most promising, as it was predicted as an active compound in the in silico study against the amastigote form of T. cruzi, in addition to having in vitro activity against the epimastigote form.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata Priscila Barros de Menezes
- Programa de Pós-Graduação de Produtos Naturais e Sintéticos Bioativos, Universidade federal da Paraíba, 58051-900, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil
| | - Josean Fechine Tavares
- Programa de Pós-Graduação de Produtos Naturais e Sintéticos Bioativos, Universidade federal da Paraíba, 58051-900, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil
| | - Massuo Jorge Kato
- Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, 05508-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Zoe L Sessions
- Molecular Modeling Lab, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA
| | - Eugene N Muratov
- Molecular Modeling Lab, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA
| | - Luciana Scotti
- Programa de Pós-Graduação de Produtos Naturais e Sintéticos Bioativos, Universidade federal da Paraíba, 58051-900, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil
| | - Marcus Tullius Scotti
- Programa de Pós-Graduação de Produtos Naturais e Sintéticos Bioativos, Universidade federal da Paraíba, 58051-900, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil
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Disruption of Active Trans-Sialidase Genes Impairs Egress from Mammalian Host Cells and Generates Highly Attenuated Trypanosoma cruzi Parasites. mBio 2022; 13:e0347821. [PMID: 35073735 PMCID: PMC8787462 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03478-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Trans-sialidases (TS) are unusual enzymes present on the surface of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. Encoded by the largest gene family in the T. cruzi genome, only few members of the TS family have catalytic activity. Active trans-sialidases (aTS) are responsible for transferring sialic acid from host glycoconjugates to mucins, also present on the parasite surface. The existence of several copies of TS genes has impaired the use of reverse genetics to study this highly polymorphic gene family. Using CRISPR-Cas9, we generated aTS knockout cell lines displaying undetectable levels of TS activity, as shown by sialylation assays and labeling with antibodies that recognize sialic acid-containing mucins. In vitro infection assays showed that disruption of aTS genes does not affect the parasite's capacity to invade cells or to escape from the parasitophorous vacuole but resulted in impaired differentiation of amastigotes into trypomastigotes and parasite egress from the cell. When inoculated into mice, aTS mutants were unable to establish infection even in the highly susceptible gamma interferon (IFN-γ) knockout mice. Mice immunized with aTS mutants were fully protected against a challenge infection with the virulent T. cruzi Y strain. Altogether, our results confirmed the role of aTS as a T. cruzi virulence factor and indicated that aTS play a major role during the late stages of intracellular development and parasite egress. Notably, mutants lacking TS activity are completely avirulent in animal models of infection and may be used as a live attenuated vaccine against Chagas disease. IMPORTANCE Trypanosoma cruzi is the causative agent of Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease that affects approximately 6 to 8 million people and for which there is no effective treatment or vaccine. The parasite expresses a family of surface proteins, named trans-sialidases, responsible for transferring sialic acid from host glycoconjugates to parasite mucins. Although recognized as a main virulence factor, the multiple roles of these proteins during infection have not yet been fully characterized, mainly because the presence of several copies of aTS genes has impaired their study using reverse genetics. By applying CRISPR-Cas9, we generated aTS knockout parasites and showed that, although aTS parasite mutants were able to infect cells in vitro, they have an impaired capacity to egress from the infected cell. Importantly, aTS mutants lost the ability to cause infection in vivo but provided full protection against a challenge infection with a virulent strain.
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Santos VC, Oliveira AER, Campos ACB, Reis-Cunha JL, Bartholomeu DC, Teixeira SMR, Lima APCA, Ferreira RS. The gene repertoire of the main cysteine protease of Trypanosoma cruzi, cruzipain, reveals four sub-types with distinct active sites. Sci Rep 2021; 11:18231. [PMID: 34521898 PMCID: PMC8440672 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-97490-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cruzipains are the main papain-like cysteine proteases of Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan parasite that causes Chagas disease. Encoded by a multigenic family, previous studies have estimated the presence of dozens of copies spread over multiple chromosomes in different parasite strains. Here, we describe the complete gene repertoire of cruzipain in three parasite strains, their genomic organization, and expression pattern throughout the parasite life cycle. Furthermore, we have analyzed primary sequence variations among distinct family members as well as structural differences between the main groups of cruzipains. Based on phylogenetic inferences and residue positions crucial for enzyme function and specificity, we propose the classification of cruzipains into two families (I and II), whose genes are distributed in two or three separate clusters in the parasite genome, according with the strain. Family I comprises nearly identical copies to the previously characterized cruzipain 1/cruzain, whereas Family II encompasses three structurally distinct sub-types, named cruzipain 2, cruzipain 3, and cruzipain 4. RNA-seq data derived from the CL Brener strain indicates that Family I genes are mainly expressed by epimastigotes, whereas trypomastigotes mainly express Family II genes. Significant differences in the active sites among the enzyme sub-types were also identified, which may play a role in their substrate selectivity and impact their inhibition by small molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviane Corrêa Santos
- grid.8430.f0000 0001 2181 4888Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG Brazil
| | - Antonio Edson Rocha Oliveira
- grid.8430.f0000 0001 2181 4888Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG Brazil ,grid.11899.380000 0004 1937 0722Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Augusto César Broilo Campos
- grid.8430.f0000 0001 2181 4888Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG Brazil
| | - João Luís Reis-Cunha
- grid.8430.f0000 0001 2181 4888Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG Brazil ,grid.8430.f0000 0001 2181 4888Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG Brazil
| | | | - Santuza Maria Ribeiro Teixeira
- grid.8430.f0000 0001 2181 4888Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG Brazil
| | - Ana Paula C. A. Lima
- grid.8536.80000 0001 2294 473XInstituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil
| | - Rafaela Salgado Ferreira
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
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Kinetoplastid cell biology and genetics, from the 2020 British Society for Parasitology Trypanosomiasis and Leishmaniasis symposium, Granada, Spain. Parasitology 2021; 148:1119-1124. [PMID: 34120664 PMCID: PMC8311962 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182021000998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The British Society for Parasitology (BSP) holds a biannual symposium devoted to the kinetoplastids, and seeks to cover the full gamut of research into these important organisms, and alternates with the Woods Hole Kinetoplastid Molecular Cell Biology meeting that serves a similar community. While normally embedded within the main BSP Spring meeting, on several occasions the symposium has enjoyed the opportunity of being hosted on mainland Europe. In 2020, the BSP was fortunate to spend some time in Granada in Spain, where a superb meeting with excellent science in a spectacular setting was overshadowed by news of an emerging novel coronavirus. In this editorial, we hope to have captured some of that excellent science and to highlight aspects of the many great papers and reviews in this special issue, as well as provide a few images from the meeting, which we hope for this who attended will bring back some fond memories.
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