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Zamani H, Poorinmohammad N, Azimi A, Salavati R. From a bimodal to a multi-stage view on trypanosomes' differential RNA editing. Trends Parasitol 2024; 40:372-377. [PMID: 38494388 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2024.02.009] [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: 01/28/2024] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Significant variations in the abundance of mitochondrial RNA processing proteins and their target RNAs across trypanosome life stages present an opportunity to explore the regulatory mechanisms that drive these changes. Utilizing omics approaches can uncover unconventional targets, aiding our understanding of the parasites' adaptation and enabling targeted interventions for differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Homa Zamani
- Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Naghmeh Poorinmohammad
- Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Amin Azimi
- Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Reza Salavati
- Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec H9X 3V9, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1Y6, Canada.
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2
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Gong Z, Qu Z, Yu Z, Li J, Liu B, Ma X, Cai J. Label-free quantitative detection and comparative analysis of lysine acetylation during the different life stages of Eimeria tenella. J Proteome Res 2023; 22:2785-2802. [PMID: 37562054 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.2c00726] [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: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Proteome-wide lysine acetylation has been documented in apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium falciparum. Here, we conducted the first lysine acetylome in unsporulated oocysts (USO), sporulated 7 h oocysts (SO 7h), sporulated oocysts (SO), sporozoites (S), and the second generation merozoites (SMG) of Eimeria tenella through a 4D label-free quantitative technique. Altogether, 8532 lysine acetylation sites on 2325 proteins were identified in E. tenella, among which 5445 sites on 1493 proteins were quantified. In addition, 557, 339, 478, 248, 241, and 424 differentially expressed proteins were identified in the comparisons SO7h vs USO, SO vs SO7h, SO vs USO, S vs SO, SMG vs S, and USO vs SMG, respectively. The bioinformatics analysis of the acetylome showed that the lysine acetylation is widespread on proteins of diverse functions. Moreover, the dynamic changes of lysine acetylome among E. tenella different life stages revealed significant regulation during the whole process of E. tenella growth and stage conversion. This study provides a beginning for the investigation of the regulate role of lysine acetylation in E. tenella and may provide new strategies for anticoccidiosis drug and vaccine development. Raw data are publicly available at iProX with the data set identifier PXD040368.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zigang Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology; Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province; Innovation of Research Program of Gastrointestinal Infection and Mucosal Immunity of Poultry and Pig; Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province 225009, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhengqing Yu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Province 750021, People's Republic of China
| | - Jidong Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Province 750021, People's Republic of China
| | - Baohong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology; Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province; Innovation of Research Program of Gastrointestinal Infection and Mucosal Immunity of Poultry and Pig; Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province 225009, People's Republic of China
| | - Xueting Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology; Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province; Innovation of Research Program of Gastrointestinal Infection and Mucosal Immunity of Poultry and Pig; Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province 225009, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianping Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology; Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province; Innovation of Research Program of Gastrointestinal Infection and Mucosal Immunity of Poultry and Pig; Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province 225009, People's Republic of China
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3
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de Almeida RF, Lucena ACR, Batista M, Marchini FK, de Godoy LMF. Non-histone protein methylation in Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes. Proteomics 2023; 23:e2200230. [PMID: 37183273 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202200230] [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: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Post-translational methylation of proteins, which occurs in arginines and lysines, modulates several biological processes at different levels of cell signaling. Recently, methylation has been demonstrated in the regulation beyond histones, for example, in the dynamics of protein-protein and protein-nucleic acid interactions. However, the presence and role of non-histone methylation in Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, has not yet been elucidated. Here, we applied mass spectrometry-based-proteomics (LC-MS/MS) to profile the methylproteome of T. cruzi epimastigotes, describing a total of 1252 methyl sites in 824 proteins. Functional enrichment and protein-protein interaction analysis show that protein methylation impacts important biological processes of the parasite, such as translation, RNA and DNA binding, amino acid, and carbohydrate metabolism. In addition, 171 of the methylated proteins were previously reported to bear phosphorylation sites in T. cruzi, including flagellar proteins and RNA binding proteins, indicating that there may be an interplay between these different modifications in non-histone proteins. Our results show that a broad spectrum of functions is affected by methylation in T. cruzi, indicating its potential to impact important processes in the biology of the parasite and other trypanosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Fogaça de Almeida
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Sistêmica de Tripanossomatídeos, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Curitiba, Parana, Brazil
| | - Aline Castro Rodrigues Lucena
- Laboratório de Ciências e Tecnologias Aplicadas em Saúde, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Curitiba, Parana, Brazil
| | - Michel Batista
- Laboratório de Ciências e Tecnologias Aplicadas em Saúde, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Curitiba, Parana, Brazil
- Plataforma de Espectrometria de Massas, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Curitiba, Parana, Brazil
| | - Fabricio Klerynton Marchini
- Laboratório de Ciências e Tecnologias Aplicadas em Saúde, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Curitiba, Parana, Brazil
- Plataforma de Espectrometria de Massas, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Curitiba, Parana, Brazil
| | - Lyris Martins Franco de Godoy
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Sistêmica de Tripanossomatídeos, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Curitiba, Parana, Brazil
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4
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Lu J, Fang X, Liang H, Guo Z, Zou H. Lysine acetylation plays a role in the allograft-induced stress response of the pearl oyster (Pinctada fucata martensii). FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2022; 130:223-232. [PMID: 36126836 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2022.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Implanting a spherical nucleus into a recipient oyster is a critical step in artificial pearl production using the pearl oyster Pinctada fucata martensii. However, little is known about the role of post-translational modifications (PTMs) in the response of the pearl oyster to this operation. Lysine acetylation, a highly conserved PTM, may be an essential adaptive strategy to manage multiple biotic or abiotic stresses. We conducted the first lysine acetylome analysis of the P. f. martensii gill 12 h after nucleus implantation, using tandem mass tags (TMT) labeling and Kac affinity enrichment. We identified 2443 acetylated sites in 1301 proteins, and 1511 sites on 895 proteins were quantitatively informative. We found 25 conserved motifs from all of the identified lysine sites, particularly motifs Kac H, Kac S, and Kac Y were strikingly conserved, of which Kac Y, Kac H, Y Kac, Kac K, Kac *K, Kac R, and Kac F which have been observed in other species and are therefore highly conserved. We identified 58 sites that were significantly differently acetylated in P. f. martensii in response to allograft (|fold change|>1.2, P-value ≤ 0.05); 38 newly acetylated and 20 deacetylated. According to GO functional analysis, subcellar location, and KOG classIfication, these proteins were divided into four categories: cytoskeleton, response to stimulus, metabolism, and other. The differentially acetylated proteins (DAPs) enriched pathways include aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, salmonella infection, and longevity regulating pathway-worm-Caenorhabditis elegans (nematode). Parallel reaction-monitoring (PRM) validation of the differential acetylation of 10 randomly selected differentially acetylated sites from the acetylome analysis. These results indicated that our acetylome analysis results were sufficiently reliable and reproducible. These results provide an essential resource for in-depth exploration of the stress responses and adaptation mechanisms associated with lysine acetylation in marine invertebrates and P. f. martensii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinzhao Lu
- Fisheries College of Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, 524088, China
| | - Xiaochen Fang
- Fisheries College of Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, 524088, China; Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510075, China
| | - Haiying Liang
- Fisheries College of Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, 524088, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Disease Control and Healthy Culture, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, 524088, China.
| | - Zhijie Guo
- Fisheries College of Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, 524088, China
| | - Hexin Zou
- Fisheries College of Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, 524088, China
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Jamabo M, Bentley SJ, Macucule-Tinga P, Tembo P, Edkins AL, Boshoff A. In silico analysis of the HSP90 chaperone system from the African trypanosome, Trypanosoma brucei. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:947078. [PMID: 36213128 PMCID: PMC9538636 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.947078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
African trypanosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by Trypanosoma brucei (T. brucei) and spread by the tsetse fly in sub-Saharan Africa. The trypanosome relies on heat shock proteins for survival in the insect vector and mammalian host. Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) plays a crucial role in the stress response at the cellular level. Inhibition of its interactions with chaperones and co-chaperones is being explored as a potential therapeutic target for numerous diseases. This study provides an in silico overview of HSP90 and its co-chaperones in both T. brucei brucei and T. brucei gambiense in relation to human and other trypanosomal species, including non-parasitic Bodo saltans and the insect infecting Crithidia fasciculata. A structural analysis of T. brucei HSP90 revealed differences in the orientation of the linker and C-terminal domain in comparison to human HSP90. Phylogenetic analysis displayed the T. brucei HSP90 proteins clustering into three distinct groups based on subcellular localizations, namely, cytosol, mitochondria, and endoplasmic reticulum. Syntenic analysis of cytosolic HSP90 genes revealed that T. b. brucei encoded for 10 tandem copies, while T. b. gambiense encoded for three tandem copies; Leishmania major (L. major) had the highest gene copy number with 17 tandem copies. The updated information on HSP90 from recently published proteomics on T. brucei was examined for different life cycle stages and subcellular localizations. The results show a difference between T. b. brucei and T. b. gambiense with T. b. brucei encoding a total of twelve putative HSP90 genes, while T. b. gambiense encodes five HSP90 genes. Eighteen putative co-chaperones were identified with one notable absence being cell division cycle 37 (Cdc37). These results provide an updated framework on approaching HSP90 and its interactions as drug targets in the African trypanosome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miebaka Jamabo
- Biotechnology Innovation Centre, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa
| | | | | | - Praise Tembo
- Biotechnology Innovation Centre, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa
| | - Adrienne Lesley Edkins
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Biomedical Biotechnology Research Unit (BioBRU), Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa
| | - Aileen Boshoff
- Biotechnology Innovation Centre, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa
- *Correspondence: Aileen Boshoff,
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Maree JP, Tvardovskiy A, Ravnsborg T, Jensen ON, Rudenko G, Patterton HG. Trypanosoma brucei histones are heavily modified with combinatorial post-translational modifications and mark Pol II transcription start regions with hyperacetylated H2A. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:9705-9723. [PMID: 36095123 PMCID: PMC9508842 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosomes diverged from the main eukaryotic lineage about 600 million years ago, and display some unusual genomic and epigenetic properties that provide valuable insight into the early processes employed by eukaryotic ancestors to regulate chromatin-mediated functions. We analysed Trypanosoma brucei core histones by high mass accuracy middle-down mass spectrometry to map core histone post-translational modifications (PTMs) and elucidate cis-histone combinatorial PTMs (cPTMs). T. brucei histones are heavily modified and display intricate cPTMs patterns, with numerous hypermodified cPTMs that could contribute to the formation of non-repressive euchromatic states. The Trypanosoma brucei H2A C-terminal tail is hyperacetylated, containing up to five acetylated lysine residues. MNase-ChIP-seq revealed a striking enrichment of hyperacetylated H2A at Pol II transcription start regions, and showed that H2A histones that are hyperacetylated in different combinations localised to different genomic regions, suggesting distinct epigenetic functions. Our genomics and proteomics data provide insight into the complex epigenetic mechanisms used by this parasite to regulate a genome that lacks the transcriptional control mechanisms found in later-branched eukaryotes. The findings further demonstrate the complexity of epigenetic mechanisms that were probably shared with the last eukaryotic common ancestor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes P Maree
- Department of Biochemistry, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
| | - Andrey Tvardovskiy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, VILLUM Center for Bioanalytical Sciences, and Center for Epigenetics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M DK-5230, Denmark
| | - Tina Ravnsborg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, VILLUM Center for Bioanalytical Sciences, and Center for Epigenetics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M DK-5230, Denmark
| | - Ole N Jensen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, VILLUM Center for Bioanalytical Sciences, and Center for Epigenetics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M DK-5230, Denmark
| | - Gloria Rudenko
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Hugh-G Patterton
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
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7
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Bhattacharya A, Fernandez-Prada C, Alonso GD, Biswas A. Editorial: Signaling in stress sensing and resistance in parasitic protozoa. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:962047. [PMID: 35967874 PMCID: PMC9372558 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.962047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Arijit Bhattacharya
- Deptartment of Biological Sciences, Adamas University, Kolkata, India
- *Correspondence: Arijit Bhattacharya, ; Christopher Fernandez-Prada, christopher.fernandez.prada @ umontreal.ca; Guillermo Daniel Alonso, ; Arunima Biswas,
| | - Christopher Fernandez-Prada
- Département de Pathologie et Microbiologie, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Arijit Bhattacharya, ; Christopher Fernandez-Prada, christopher.fernandez.prada @ umontreal.ca; Guillermo Daniel Alonso, ; Arunima Biswas,
| | - Guillermo Daniel Alonso
- CONICET Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular Dr. Héctor N. Torres (INGEBI), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- *Correspondence: Arijit Bhattacharya, ; Christopher Fernandez-Prada, christopher.fernandez.prada @ umontreal.ca; Guillermo Daniel Alonso, ; Arunima Biswas,
| | - Arunima Biswas
- Molecular Cell Biology Laboratory, Deptartment of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, India
- *Correspondence: Arijit Bhattacharya, ; Christopher Fernandez-Prada, christopher.fernandez.prada @ umontreal.ca; Guillermo Daniel Alonso, ; Arunima Biswas,
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Michels PAM, Gualdrón-López M. Biogenesis and metabolic homeostasis of trypanosomatid glycosomes: new insights and new questions. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2022; 69:e12897. [PMID: 35175680 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Kinetoplastea and Diplonemea possess peroxisome-related organelles that, uniquely, contain most of the enzymes of the glycolytic pathway and are hence called glycosomes. Enzymes of several other core metabolic pathways have also been located in glycosomes, in addition to some characteristic peroxisomal systems such as pathways of lipid metabolism. A considerable amount of research has been performed on glycosomes of trypanosomes since their discovery four decades ago. Not only the role of the glycosomal enzyme systems in the overall cell metabolism appeared to be unique, but the organelles display also remarkable features regarding their biogenesis and structural properties. These features are similar to those of the well-studied peroxisomes of mammalian and plant cells and yeasts yet exhibit also differences reflecting the large evolutionary distance between these protists and the representatives of other major eukaryotic lineages. Despite all research performed, many questions remain about various properties and the biological roles of glycosomes and peroxisomes. Here we review the current knowledge about glycosomes, often comparing it with information about peroxisomes. Furthermore, we highlight particularly many questions that remain about the biogenesis, and the heterogeneity in structure and content of these enigmatic organelles, and the properties of their boundary membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul A M Michels
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution and Centre for Translational and Chemical Biology, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Melisa Gualdrón-López
- Instituto Salud Global, Hospital Clinic-Universitat de Barcelona, and Institute for Health Sciences Trias i Pujol, Barcelona, Spain
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Marek M, Ramos-Morales E, Picchi-Constante GFA, Bayer T, Norström C, Herp D, Sales-Junior PA, Guerra-Slompo EP, Hausmann K, Chakrabarti A, Shaik TB, Merz A, Troesch E, Schmidtkunz K, Goldenberg S, Pierce RJ, Mourão MM, Jung M, Schultz J, Sippl W, Zanchin NIT, Romier C. Species-selective targeting of pathogens revealed by the atypical structure and active site of Trypanosoma cruzi histone deacetylase DAC2. Cell Rep 2021; 37:110129. [PMID: 34936867 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Writing and erasing of posttranslational modifications are crucial to phenotypic plasticity and antigenic variation of eukaryotic pathogens. Targeting pathogens' modification machineries, thus, represents a valid approach to fighting parasitic diseases. However, identification of parasitic targets and the development of selective anti-parasitic drugs still represent major bottlenecks. Here, we show that the zinc-dependent histone deacetylases (HDACs) of the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi are key regulators that have significantly diverged from their human counterparts. Depletion of T. cruzi class I HDACs tcDAC1 and tcDAC2 compromises cell-cycle progression and division, leading to cell death. Notably, tcDAC2 displays a deacetylase activity essential to the parasite and shows major structural differences with human HDACs. Specifically, tcDAC2 harbors a modular active site with a unique subpocket targeted by inhibitors showing substantial anti-parasitic effects in cellulo and in vivo. Thus, the targeting of the many atypical HDACs in pathogens can enable anti-parasitic selective chemical impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Marek
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, UMR 7104, U 1258, 67404 Illkirch, France; IGBMC, Department of Integrated Structural Biology, 1 rue Laurent Fries, B.P. 10142, 67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - Elizabeth Ramos-Morales
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, UMR 7104, U 1258, 67404 Illkirch, France; IGBMC, Department of Integrated Structural Biology, 1 rue Laurent Fries, B.P. 10142, 67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | | | - Theresa Bayer
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Wolfgang-Langenbeck-Straße 4, 06120 Halle/Saale, Germany
| | | | - Daniel Herp
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Albertstraße 25, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Policarpo A Sales-Junior
- Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Augusto de Lima, 1715, 30190-002 Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Kristin Hausmann
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Wolfgang-Langenbeck-Straße 4, 06120 Halle/Saale, Germany
| | - Alokta Chakrabarti
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Albertstraße 25, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Tajith B Shaik
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, UMR 7104, U 1258, 67404 Illkirch, France; IGBMC, Department of Integrated Structural Biology, 1 rue Laurent Fries, B.P. 10142, 67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - Annika Merz
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Albertstraße 25, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Edouard Troesch
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, UMR 7104, U 1258, 67404 Illkirch, France; IGBMC, Department of Integrated Structural Biology, 1 rue Laurent Fries, B.P. 10142, 67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - Karin Schmidtkunz
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Albertstraße 25, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Samuel Goldenberg
- Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fiocruz Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná 81350-010, Brazil
| | - Raymond J Pierce
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR 9017 - CIIL -Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, 59000 Lille, France
| | - Marina M Mourão
- Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Augusto de Lima, 1715, 30190-002 Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Manfred Jung
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Albertstraße 25, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Johan Schultz
- Kancera AB, Nanna Svartz Väg 4, SE-17165 Solna, Sweden
| | - Wolfgang Sippl
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Wolfgang-Langenbeck-Straße 4, 06120 Halle/Saale, Germany
| | - Nilson I T Zanchin
- Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fiocruz Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná 81350-010, Brazil.
| | - Christophe Romier
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, UMR 7104, U 1258, 67404 Illkirch, France; IGBMC, Department of Integrated Structural Biology, 1 rue Laurent Fries, B.P. 10142, 67404 Illkirch Cedex, France.
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10
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Dos Santos Moura L, Santana Nunes V, Gomes AAS, Sousa ACDCN, Fontes MRM, Schenkman S, Moretti NS. Mitochondrial Sirtuin TcSir2rp3 Affects TcSODA Activity and Oxidative Stress Response in Trypanosoma cruzi. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:773410. [PMID: 34858880 PMCID: PMC8632061 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.773410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi faces a variety of environmental scenarios during its life cycle, which include changes in the redox environment that requires a fine regulation of a complex antioxidant arsenal of enzymes. Reversible posttranslational modifications, as lysine acetylation, are a fast and economical way for cells to react to environmental conditions. Recently, we found that the main antioxidant enzymes, including the mitochondrial superoxide dismutase A (TcSODA) are acetylated in T. cruzi, suggesting that protein acetylation could participate in the oxidative stress response in T. cruzi. Therefore, we investigated whether mitochondrial lysine deacetylase TcSir2rp3 was involved in the activity control of TcSODA. We observed an increased resistance to hydrogen peroxide and menadione in parasites overexpressing TcSir2rp3. Increased resistance was also found for benznidazole and nifurtimox, known to induce reactive oxidative and nitrosactive species in the parasite, associated to that a reduction in the ROS levels was observed. To better understand the way TcSir2rp3 could contributes to oxidative stress response, we analyzed the expression of TcSODA in the TcSir2rp3 overexpressing parasites and did not detect any increase in protein levels of this enzyme. However, we found that these parasites presented higher levels of superoxide dismutase activity, and also that TcSir2rp3 and TcSODA interacts in vivo. Knowing that TcSODA is acetylated at lysine residues K44 and K97, and that K97 is located at a similar region in the protein structure as K68 in human manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), responsible for regulating MnSOD activity, we generated mutated versions of TcSODA at K44 and K97 and found that replacing K97 by glutamine, which mimics an acetylated lysine, negatively affects the enzyme activity in vitro. By using molecular dynamics approaches, we revealed that acetylation of K97 induces specific conformational changes in TcSODA with respect to hydrogen-bonding pattern to neighbor residues, suggesting a key participation of this residue to modulate the affinity to O2−. Taken together, our results showed for the first time the involvement of lysine acetylation in the maintenance of homeostatic redox state in trypanosomatids, contributing to the understanding of mechanisms used by T. cruzi to progress during the infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Dos Santos Moura
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Patógenos, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vinícius Santana Nunes
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Patógenos, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Antoniel A S Gomes
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Ana Caroline de Castro Nascimento Sousa
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Patógenos, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcos R M Fontes
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Sergio Schenkman
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Nilmar Silvio Moretti
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Patógenos, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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11
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Abstract
Protozoan parasites continue to cause a significant health and economic burden worldwide. As infectious organisms, they pose unique and difficult challenges due to a level of conservation of critical eukaryotic cellular pathways with their hosts. Gene regulation has been pinpointed as an essential pathway with enough divergence to warrant investigation into therapeutically targeting. Examination of human parasites such as Plasmodium falciparum, Toxoplasma gondii, and kinetoplastids have revealed that epigenetic mechanisms play a key role in their gene regulation. The enzymes involved in adding and removing epigenetic posttranslational modifications (PTMs) have historically been the focus of study. However, the reader proteins that recognize and bind PTMs, initiating recruitment of chromatin-modifying and transcription complexes, are now being realized for their critical role in regulation and their potential as drug targets. In this review, we highlight the current knowledge on epigenetic reader proteins in model parasitic protozoa, focusing on the histone acyl- and methyl-reading domains. With this knowledge base, we compare differences between medically relevant parasites, discuss conceivable functions of these understudied proteins, indicate gaps in knowledge, and provide current progress in drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krista Fleck
- Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Malorie Nitz
- Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Victoria Jeffers
- Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, United States of America
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12
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Zhang N, Jiang N, Yu L, Guan T, Sang X, Feng Y, Chen R, Chen Q. Protein Lactylation Critically Regulates Energy Metabolism in the Protozoan Parasite Trypanosoma brucei. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:719720. [PMID: 34722503 PMCID: PMC8551762 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.719720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Lysine lactylation has been recognized as a novel post-translational modification occurring on histones. However, lactylation in non-histone proteins, especially in proteins of early branching organisms, is not well understood. Energy metabolism and the histone repertoire in the early diverging protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of African trypanosomiasis, markedly diverge from those of conventional eukaryotes. Here, we present the first exhaustive proteome-wide investigation of lactylated sites in T. brucei. We identified 387 lysine-lactylated sites in 257 proteins of various cellular localizations and biological functions. Further, we revealed that glucose metabolism critically regulates protein lactylation in T. brucei although the parasite lacks lactate dehydrogenase. However, unlike mammals, increasing the glucose concentration reduced the level of lactate, and protein lactylation decreased in T. brucei via a unique lactate production pathway. In addition to providing a valuable resource, these foregoing data reveal the regulatory roles of protein lactylation of trypanosomes in energy metabolism and gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naiwen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
- The Research Unit for Pathogenic Mechanisms of Zoonotic Parasites, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang, China
| | - Ning Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
- The Research Unit for Pathogenic Mechanisms of Zoonotic Parasites, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang, China
| | - Liying Yu
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
- The Research Unit for Pathogenic Mechanisms of Zoonotic Parasites, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang, China
| | - Tiandong Guan
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
- The Research Unit for Pathogenic Mechanisms of Zoonotic Parasites, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiaoyu Sang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
- The Research Unit for Pathogenic Mechanisms of Zoonotic Parasites, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang, China
| | - Ying Feng
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
- The Research Unit for Pathogenic Mechanisms of Zoonotic Parasites, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang, China
| | - Ran Chen
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
- The Research Unit for Pathogenic Mechanisms of Zoonotic Parasites, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang, China
| | - Qijun Chen
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
- The Research Unit for Pathogenic Mechanisms of Zoonotic Parasites, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang, China
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13
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Coutinho JVP, Rosa-Fernandes L, Mule SN, de Oliveira GS, Manchola NC, Santiago VF, Colli W, Wrenger C, Alves MJM, Palmisano G. The thermal proteome stability profile of Trypanosoma cruzi in epimastigote and trypomastigote life stages. J Proteomics 2021; 248:104339. [PMID: 34352427 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2021.104339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is a flagellate protozoa being the etiological agent of Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease, which still poses a public health problem worldwide. The intricate molecular changes during T. cruzi-host interaction have been explored using different largescale omics techniques. However, protein stability is largely unknown. Thermal proteome profiling (TPP) methodology has the potential to characterize proteome-wide stability highlighting key proteins during T. cruzi infection and life stage transition from the invertebrate to the mammalian host. In the present work, T. cruzi epimastigotes and trypomastigotes cell lysates were subjected to TPP workflow and analyzed by quantitative large-scale mass spectrometry-based proteomics to fit a melting profile for each protein. A total of 2884 proteins were identified and associated to 1741 melting curves being 1370 in trypomastigotes (TmAVG 53.53 °C) and 1279 in epimastigotes (TmAVG 50.89 °C). A total of 453 proteins were identified with statistically different melting profiles between the two life stages. Proteins associated to pathogenesis and intracellular transport had regulated melting temperatures. Membrane and glycosylated proteins had a higher average Tm in trypomastigotes compared to epimastigotes. This study represents the first large-scale comparison of parasite protein stability between life stages. SIGNIFICANCE: Trypanosoma cruzi, a unicellular flagellate parasite, is the etiological agent of Chagas disease, endemic in South America and affecting more that 7 million people worldwide. There is an intense research to identify novel chemotherapeutic and diagnostic targets of Chagas disease. Proteomic approaches have helped in elucidating the quantitative proteome and PTMs changes of T. cruzi during life cycle transition and upon different biotic and abiotic stimuli. However, a comprehensive knowledge of the protein-protein interaction and protein conformation is still missing. In order to fill this gap, this manuscript elucidates the T. cruzi Y strain proteome-wide thermal stability map in the epimastigote and trypomastigote life stages. Comparison between life stages showed a higher average melting temperature stability for trypomastigotes than epimastigotes indicating a host temperature adaptation. Both presented a selective thermal stability shift for cellular compartments, molecular functions and biological processes based on the T. cruzi life stage. Membrane and glycosylated proteins presented a higher thermal stability in trypomastigotes when compared to the epimastigotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joao V P Coutinho
- GlycoProteomics Laboratory, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Livia Rosa-Fernandes
- GlycoProteomics Laboratory, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Simon Ngao Mule
- GlycoProteomics Laboratory, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gilberto Santos de Oliveira
- GlycoProteomics Laboratory, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Veronica Feijoli Santiago
- GlycoProteomics Laboratory, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Walter Colli
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carsten Wrenger
- Unit for Drug Discovery, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Giuseppe Palmisano
- GlycoProteomics Laboratory, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
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14
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Levy DJ, Goundry A, Laires RSS, Costa TFR, Novo CM, Grab DJ, Mottram JC, Lima APCA. Role of the inhibitor of serine peptidase 2 (ISP2) of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense in parasite virulence and modulation of the inflammatory responses of the host. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009526. [PMID: 34153047 PMCID: PMC8248637 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense is one of the causative agents of Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), known as sleeping sickness. The parasite invades the central nervous system and causes severe encephalitis that is fatal if left untreated. We have previously identified ecotin-like inhibitors of serine peptidases, named ISPs, in trypanosomatid parasitic protozoa. Here, we investigated the role of ISP2 in bloodstream form T. b. rhodesiense. We generated gene-deficient mutants lacking ISP2 (Δisp2), which displayed a growth profile in vitro similar to that of wild-type (WT) parasites. C57BL/6 mice infected with Δisp2 displayed lower blood parasitemia, a delayed hind leg pathological phenotype and survived longer. The immune response was examined at two time-points that corresponded with two peaks of parasitemia. At 4 days, the spleens of Δisp2-infected mice had a greater percentage of NOS2+ myeloid cells, IFN-γ+-NK cells and increased TNF-α compared to those infected with WT and parasites re-expressing ISP2 (Δisp2:ISP2). By 13 days the increased NOS2+ population was sustained in Δisp2-infected mice, along with increased percentages of monocyte-derived dendritic cells, as well as CD19+ B lymphocytes, and CD8+ and CD4+ T lymphocytes. Taken together, these findings indicate that ISP2 contributes to T. b. rhodesiense virulence in mice and attenuates the inflammatory response during early infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Jessula Levy
- Instituto de Biofisica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho 373, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Amy Goundry
- Instituto de Biofisica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho 373, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Raquel S. S. Laires
- Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Tatiana F. R. Costa
- Instituto de Biofisica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho 373, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Carlos Mendes Novo
- Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Dennis J. Grab
- Department of Pathology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland; Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jeremy C. Mottram
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- York Biomedical Research Institute and Department of Biology, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Ana Paula C. A. Lima
- Instituto de Biofisica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho 373, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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15
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de Oliveira Santos J, Zuma AA, de Souza W, Motta MCM. Tubastatin A, a deacetylase inhibitor, as a tool to study the division, cell cycle and microtubule cytoskeleton of trypanosomatids. Eur J Protistol 2021; 80:125821. [PMID: 34144311 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2021.125821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is a protozoan of great medical interest since it is the causative agent of Chagas disease, an endemic condition in Latin America. This parasite undergoes epigenetic events, such as phosphorylation, methylation and acetylation, which play a role in several cellular processes including replication, transcription and gene expression. Histone deacetylases (HDAC) are involved in chromatin compaction and post-translational modifications of cytoplasmic proteins, such as tubulin. Tubastatin A (TST) is a specific HDAC6 inhibitor that affects cell growth and promotes structural modifications in cancer cells and parasites. In the present study, we demonstrated that T. cruzi epimastigote cell proliferation and viability are reduced after 72 h of TST treatment. The results obtained through different microscopy methodologies suggest that this inhibitor impairs the polymerization dynamics of cytoskeleton microtubules, generating protozoa displaying atypical morphology and cellular patterns that include polynucleated parasites. Furthermore, the microtubules of treated protozoa were more intensely acetylated, especially at the anterior portion of the cell body. A cell cycle analysis demonstrated an increase in the number of trypanosomatids in the G2/M phase. Together, our results suggest that TST should be explored as a tool to study trypanosomatid cell biology, including microtubule cytoskeleton dynamics, and as an antiparasitic drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean de Oliveira Santos
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro-UFRJ, 21491-590 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia e Núcleo de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagens - CENABIO, UFRJ, RJ, Brazil
| | - Aline Araujo Zuma
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro-UFRJ, 21491-590 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia e Núcleo de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagens - CENABIO, UFRJ, RJ, Brazil
| | - Wanderley de Souza
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro-UFRJ, 21491-590 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia e Núcleo de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagens - CENABIO, UFRJ, RJ, Brazil
| | - Maria Cristina M Motta
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro-UFRJ, 21491-590 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia e Núcleo de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagens - CENABIO, UFRJ, RJ, Brazil.
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16
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Maran SR, Fleck K, Monteiro-Teles NM, Isebe T, Walrad P, Jeffers V, Cestari I, Vasconcelos EJR, Moretti N. Protein acetylation in the critical biological processes in protozoan parasites. Trends Parasitol 2021; 37:815-830. [PMID: 33994102 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2021.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Protein lysine acetylation has emerged as a major regulatory post-translational modification in different organisms, present not only on histone proteins affecting chromatin structure and gene expression but also on nonhistone proteins involved in several cellular processes. The same scenario was observed in protozoan parasites after the description of their acetylomes, indicating that acetylation might regulate crucial biological processes in these parasites. The demonstration that glycolytic enzymes are regulated by acetylation in protozoans shows that this modification might regulate several other processes implicated in parasite survival and adaptation during the life cycle, opening the chance to explore the regulatory acetylation machinery of these parasites as drug targets for new treatment development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suellen Rodrigues Maran
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Patógenos (LBMP) - Departamento Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia - Escola Paulista de Medicina - Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Krista Fleck
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | | | - Tony Isebe
- Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
| | - Pegine Walrad
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK
| | - Victoria Jeffers
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | - Igor Cestari
- Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada; Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Nilmar Moretti
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Patógenos (LBMP) - Departamento Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia - Escola Paulista de Medicina - Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil.
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17
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de Lima GB, de Lima Cavalcanti TYV, de Brito ANALM, de Assis LA, Andrade-Vieira RP, Freire ER, da Silva Assunção TR, de Souza Reis CR, Zanchin NIT, Guimarães BG, de-Melo-Neto OP. The translation initiation factor EIF4E5 from Leishmania: crystal structure and interacting partners. RNA Biol 2021; 18:2433-2449. [PMID: 33945405 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2021.1918919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The mRNA cap-binding protein, eIF4E, mediates the recognition of the mRNA 5' end and, as part of the heterotrimeric eIF4F complex, facilitates the recruitment of the ribosomal subunits to initiate eukaryotic translation. Various regulatory events involving eIF4E and a second eIF4F subunit, eIF4G, are required for proper control of translation initiation. In pathogenic trypanosomatids, six eIF4Es and five eIF4Gs have been described, several forming different eIF4F-like complexes with yet unresolved roles. EIF4E5 is one of the least known of the trypanosomatid eIF4Es and has not been characterized in Leishmania species. Here, we used immunoprecipitation assays, combined with mass-spectrometry, to identify major EIF4E5 interacting proteins in L. infantum. A constitutively expressed, HA-tagged, EIF4E5 co-precipitated mainly with EIF4G1 and binding partners previously described in Trypanosoma brucei, EIF4G1-IP, RBP43 and the 14-3-3 proteins. In contrast, no clear co-precipitation with EIF4G2, also previously reported, was observed. EIF4E5 also co-precipitated with protein kinases, possibly associated with cell-cycle regulation, selected RNA binding proteins and histones. Phosphorylated residues were identified and mapped to the Leishmania-specific C-terminal end. Mutagenesis of the tryptophan residue (W53) postulated to mediate interactions with protein partners or of a neighbouring tryptophan conserved in Leishmania (W45) did not substantially impair the identified interactions. Finally, the crystal structure of Leishmania EIF4E5 evidences remarkable differences in the eIF4G interfacing region, when compared with human eIF4E-1 and with its Trypanosoma orthologue. Mapping of its C-terminal end near the cap-binding site also imply relevant differences in cap-binding function and/or regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Barbosa de Lima
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto Aggeu Magalhães, FIOCRUZ-PE, Av. Moraes Rego s/n, Recife-PE, Brazil
| | - Thaíse Yasmine Vasconcelos de Lima Cavalcanti
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto Aggeu Magalhães, FIOCRUZ-PE, Av. Moraes Rego s/n, Recife-PE, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife-PE, Brazil
| | - Adriana Neuman Albuquerque Lins Moura de Brito
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto Aggeu Magalhães, FIOCRUZ-PE, Av. Moraes Rego s/n, Recife-PE, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife-PE, Brazil
| | - Ludmilla Arruda de Assis
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto Aggeu Magalhães, FIOCRUZ-PE, Av. Moraes Rego s/n, Recife-PE, Brazil
| | | | - Eden Ribeiro Freire
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto Aggeu Magalhães, FIOCRUZ-PE, Av. Moraes Rego s/n, Recife-PE, Brazil.,Laboratório de Biologia Estrutural e Engenharia de Proteínas, Instituto Carlos Chagas, FIOCRUZ-PR, Curitiba-PR, Brazil
| | | | | | - Nilson Ivo Tonin Zanchin
- Laboratório de Biologia Estrutural e Engenharia de Proteínas, Instituto Carlos Chagas, FIOCRUZ-PR, Curitiba-PR, Brazil
| | - Beatriz Gomes Guimarães
- Laboratório de Biologia Estrutural e Engenharia de Proteínas, Instituto Carlos Chagas, FIOCRUZ-PR, Curitiba-PR, Brazil
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18
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Michels PAM, Villafraz O, Pineda E, Alencar MB, Cáceres AJ, Silber AM, Bringaud F. Carbohydrate metabolism in trypanosomatids: New insights revealing novel complexity, diversity and species-unique features. Exp Parasitol 2021; 224:108102. [PMID: 33775649 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2021.108102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The human pathogenic trypanosomatid species collectively called the "TriTryp parasites" - Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp. - have complex life cycles, with each of these parasitic protists residing in a different niche during their successive developmental stages where they encounter diverse nutrients. Consequently, they adapt their metabolic network accordingly. Yet, throughout the life cycles, carbohydrate metabolism - involving the glycolytic, gluconeogenic and pentose-phosphate pathways - always plays a central role in the biology of these parasites, whether the available carbon and free energy sources are saccharides, amino acids or lipids. In this paper, we provide an updated review of the carbohydrate metabolism of the TriTryps, highlighting new data about this metabolic network, the interconnection of its pathways and the compartmentalisation of its enzymes within glycosomes, cytosol and mitochondrion. Differences in the expression of the branches of the metabolic network between the successive life-cycle stages of each of these parasitic trypanosomatids are discussed, as well as differences between them. Recent structural and kinetic studies have revealed unique regulatory mechanisms for some of the network's key enzymes with important species-specific variations. Furthermore, reports of multiple post-translational modifications of trypanosomal glycolytic enzymes suggest that additional mechanisms for stage- and/or environmental cues that regulate activity are operational in the parasites. The detailed comparison of the carbohydrate metabolism of the TriTryps has thus revealed multiple differences and a greater complexity, including for the reduced metabolic network in bloodstream-form T. brucei, than previously appreciated. Although these parasites are related, share many cytological and metabolic features and are grouped within a single taxonomic family, the differences highlighted in this review reflect their separate evolutionary tracks from a common ancestor to the extant organisms. These differences are indicative of their adaptation to the different insect vectors and niches occupied in their mammalian hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul A M Michels
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution and Centre for Translational and Chemical Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
| | - Oriana Villafraz
- Laboratoire de Microbiologie Fondamentale et Pathogénicité (MFP), Université de Bordeaux, CNRS UMR-5234, France
| | - Erika Pineda
- Laboratoire de Microbiologie Fondamentale et Pathogénicité (MFP), Université de Bordeaux, CNRS UMR-5234, France
| | - Mayke B Alencar
- Laboratory of Biochemistry of Tryps, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Ana J Cáceres
- Laboratorio de Enzimología de Parásitos, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, 5101, Venezuela.
| | - Ariel M Silber
- Laboratory of Biochemistry of Tryps, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil.
| | - Frédéric Bringaud
- Laboratoire de Microbiologie Fondamentale et Pathogénicité (MFP), Université de Bordeaux, CNRS UMR-5234, France.
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de Almeida RF, Fernandes M, de Godoy LMF. An updated map of Trypanosoma cruzi histone post-translational modifications. Sci Data 2021; 8:93. [PMID: 33767201 PMCID: PMC7994815 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-021-00818-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In humans and other eukaryotes, histone post-translational modifications (hPTMs) play an essential role in the epigenetic control of gene expression. In trypanosomatid parasites, conversely, gene regulation occurs mainly at the post-transcriptional level. However, our group has recently shown that hPTMs are abundant and varied in Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas Disease, signaling for possible conserved epigenetic functions. Here, we applied an optimized mass spectrometry-based proteomic workflow to provide a high-confidence comprehensive map of hPTMs, distributed in all canonical, variant and linker histones of T. cruzi. Our work expands the number of known T. cruzi hPTMs by almost 2-fold, representing the largest dataset of hPTMs available to any trypanosomatid to date, and can be used as a basis for functional studies on the dynamic regulation of chromatin by epigenetic mechanisms and the selection of candidates for the development of epigenetic drugs against trypanosomatids. Measurement(s) | histone_modification | Technology Type(s) | mass spectrometry • nanoflow liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry • Data-Dependent Acquisition | Sample Characteristic - Organism | Trypanosoma cruzi |
Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data: 10.6084/m9.figshare.13491165
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20
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Alonso VL, Carloni ME, Gonçalves CS, Martinez Peralta G, Chesta ME, Pezza A, Tavernelli LE, Motta MCM, Serra E. Alpha-Tubulin Acetylation in Trypanosoma cruzi: A Dynamic Instability of Microtubules Is Required for Replication and Cell Cycle Progression. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:642271. [PMID: 33777851 PMCID: PMC7991793 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.642271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosomatids have a cytoskeleton arrangement that is simpler than what is found in most eukaryotic cells. However, it is precisely organized and constituted by stable microtubules. Such microtubules compose the mitotic spindle during mitosis, the basal body, the flagellar axoneme and the subpellicular microtubules, which are connected to each other and also to the plasma membrane forming a helical arrangement along the central axis of the parasite cell body. Subpellicular, mitotic and axonemal microtubules are extensively acetylated in Trypanosoma cruzi. Acetylation on lysine (K) 40 of α-tubulin is conserved from lower eukaryotes to mammals and is associated with microtubule stability. It is also known that K40 acetylation occurs significantly on flagella, centrioles, cilia, basal body and the mitotic spindle in eukaryotes. Several tubulin posttranslational modifications, including acetylation of K40, have been cataloged in trypanosomatids, but the functional importance of these modifications for microtubule dynamics and parasite biology remains largely undefined. The primary tubulin acetyltransferase was recently identified in several eukaryotes as Mec-17/ATAT, a Gcn5-related N-acetyltransferase. Here, we report that T. cruzi ATAT acetylates α-tubulin in vivo and is capable of auto-acetylation. TcATAT is located in the cytoskeleton and flagella of epimastigotes and colocalizes with acetylated α-tubulin in these structures. We have expressed TcATAT with an HA tag using the inducible vector pTcINDEX-GW in T. cruzi. Over-expression of TcATAT causes increased levels of the alpha tubulin acetylated species, induces morphological and ultrastructural defects, especially in the mitochondrion, and causes a halt in the cell cycle progression of epimastigotes, which is related to an impairment of the kinetoplast division. Finally, as a result of TcATAT over-expression we observed that parasites became more resistant to microtubule depolymerizing drugs. These results support the idea that α-tubulin acetylation levels are finely regulated for the normal progression of T. cruzi cell cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Lucia Alonso
- Laboratorio de Biología y Bioquímica de Trypanosoma cruzi, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rosario, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Bioquimicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Mara Emilia Carloni
- Facultad de Ciencias Bioquimicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Camila Silva Gonçalves
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagens, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gonzalo Martinez Peralta
- Laboratorio de Biología y Bioquímica de Trypanosoma cruzi, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rosario, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Bioquimicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Maria Eugenia Chesta
- Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Alejandro Pezza
- Laboratorio de Biología y Bioquímica de Trypanosoma cruzi, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Luis Emilio Tavernelli
- Laboratorio de Biología y Bioquímica de Trypanosoma cruzi, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Maria Cristina M. Motta
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagens, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Esteban Serra
- Laboratorio de Biología y Bioquímica de Trypanosoma cruzi, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rosario, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Bioquimicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), Rosario, Argentina
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21
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Dos Santos GP, Abukawa FM, Souza-Melo N, Alcântara LM, Bittencourt-Cunha P, Moraes CB, Jha BK, McGwire BS, Moretti NS, Schenkman S. Cyclophilin 19 secreted in the host cell cytosol by Trypanosoma cruzi promotes ROS production required for parasite growth. Cell Microbiol 2020; 23:e13295. [PMID: 33222354 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.13295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Infection by Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan parasite that causes Chagas disease, depends on reactive oxygen species (ROS), which has been described to induce parasite proliferation in mammalian host cells. It is unknown how the parasite manages to increase host ROS levels. Here, we found that intracellular T. cruzi forms release in the host cytosol its major cyclophilin of 19 kDa (TcCyp19). Parasites depleted of TcCyp19 by using CRISPR/Cas9 gene replacement proliferate inefficiently and fail to increase ROS, compared to wild type parasites or parasites with restored TcCyp19 gene expression. Expression of TcCyp19 in L6 rat myoblast increased ROS levels and restored the proliferation of TcCyp19 depleted parasites. These events could also be inhibited by cyclosporin A, (a cyclophilin inhibitor), and by polyethylene glycol-linked to antioxidant enzymes. TcCyp19 was found more concentrated in the membrane leading edges of the host cells in regions that also accumulate phosphorylated p47phox , as observed to the endogenous cyclophilin A, suggesting some mechanisms involved with the translocation process of the regulatory subunit p47phox in the activation of the NADPH oxidase enzymatic complex. We concluded that cyclophilin released in the host cell cytosol by T. cruzi mediates the increase of ROS, required to boost parasite proliferation in mammalian hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Pedroso Dos Santos
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Midori Abukawa
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Normanda Souza-Melo
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Laura Maria Alcântara
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Paula Bittencourt-Cunha
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Carolina Borsoi Moraes
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Diadema, SP, Brazil
| | - Bijay Kumar Jha
- Division of Infectious Diseases/Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Bradford S McGwire
- Division of Infectious Diseases/Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Nilmar Silvio Moretti
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Sergio Schenkman
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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22
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Effect of lysine acetylation on the regulation of Trypanosoma brucei glycosomal aldolase activity. Biochem J 2020; 477:1733-1744. [PMID: 32329788 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20200142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Post-translational modifications provide suitable mechanisms for cellular adaptation to environmental changes. Lysine acetylation is one of these modifications and occurs with the addition of an acetyl group to Nε-amino chain of this residue, eliminating its positive charge. Recently, we found distinct acetylation profiles of procyclic and bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma brucei, the agent of African Trypanosomiasis. Interestingly, glycolytic enzymes were more acetylated in the procyclic, which develops in insects and uses oxidative phosphorylation to obtain energy, compared with the bloodstream form, whose main source of energy is glycolysis. Here, we investigated whether acetylation regulates the T. brucei fructose 1,6-bisphosphate aldolase. We found that aldolase activity was reduced in procyclic parasites cultivated in the absence of glucose and partial recovered by in vitro deacetylation. Similarly, acetylation of protein extracts from procyclics cultivated in glucose-rich medium, caused a reduction in the aldolase activity. In addition, aldolase acetylation levels were higher in procyclics cultivated in the absence of glucose compared with those cultivated in the presence of glucose. To further confirm the role of acetylation, lysine residues near the catalytic site were substituted by glutamine in recombinant T. brucei aldolase. These replacements, especially K157, inhibited enzymatic activity, changed the electrostatic surface potential, decrease substrate binding and modify the catalytic pocket structure of the enzyme, as predicted by in silico analysis. Taken together, these data confirm the role of acetylation in regulating the activity of an enzyme from the glycolytic pathway of T. brucei, expanding the factors responsible for regulating important pathways in this parasite.
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23
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Cayla M, Matthews KR, Ivens AC. A global analysis of low-complexity regions in the Trypanosoma brucei proteome reveals enrichment in the C-terminus of nucleic acid binding proteins providing potential targets of phosphorylation. Wellcome Open Res 2020; 5:219. [PMID: 33274300 PMCID: PMC7682498 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16286.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Low-complexity regions (LCRs) on proteins have attracted increasing attention recently due to their role in the assembly of membraneless organelles or granules by liquid-liquid phase separation. Several examples of such granules have been shown to sequester RNA and proteins in an inactive state, providing an important mechanism for dynamic post-transcriptional gene regulation. In trypanosome parasites, post-transcriptional control overwhelmingly dominates gene regulation due to the organisation of their genome into polycistronic transcription units. The purpose of the current study was to generate a substantially more comprehensive genome-wide survey of LCRs on trypanosome proteins than currently available . Methods: Using the Shannon's entropy method, provided in the R package 'entropy', we identified LCRs in the proteome of Trypanosoma brucei. Our analysis predicts LCRs and their positional enrichment in distinct protein cohorts and superimposes on this a range of post-translational modifications derived from available experimental datasets. Results: We have identified 8162 LCRs present on 4914 proteins, representing 42% of the proteome, placing Trypanosoma brucei among the eukaryotes with the highest percentage of LCRs . Our results highlight the enrichment of LCRs in the C-terminal region of predicted nucleic acid binding proteins, these acting as favoured sites for potential phosphorylation. Phosphorylation represents 51% of the post-translational modifications present on LCRs compared to 16% on the rest of the proteome. Conclusions: The post-translational modifications of LCRs, and in particular phosphorylation events, could contribute to post-transcriptional gene expression control and the dynamics of protein targeting to membraneless organelles in kinetoplastid parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Cayla
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, Institute for Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH9 3JT, UK
| | - Keith R. Matthews
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, Institute for Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH9 3JT, UK
| | - Alasdair C. Ivens
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, Institute for Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH9 3JT, UK
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24
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Cayla M, Matthews KR, Ivens AC. A global analysis of low-complexity regions in the Trypanosoma brucei proteome reveals enrichment in the C-terminus of nucleic acid binding proteins providing potential targets of phosphorylation. Wellcome Open Res 2020; 5:219. [PMID: 33274300 PMCID: PMC7682498 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16286.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 03/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Low-complexity regions (LCRs) on proteins have attracted increasing attention recently due to their role in the assembly of membraneless organelles or granules by liquid-liquid phase separation. Several examples of such granules have been shown to sequester RNA and proteins in an inactive state, providing an important mechanism for dynamic post-transcriptional gene regulation. In trypanosome parasites, post-transcriptional control overwhelmingly dominates gene regulation due to the organisation of their genome into polycistronic transcription units. The purpose of the current study was to generate a substantially more comprehensive genome-wide survey of LCRs on trypanosome proteins than currently available . Methods: Using the Shannon's entropy method, provided in the R package 'entropy', we identified LCRs in the proteome of Trypanosoma brucei. Our analysis predicts LCRs and their positional enrichment in distinct protein cohorts and superimposes on this a range of post-translational modifications derived from available experimental datasets. Results: Our results highlight the enrichment of LCRs in the C-terminal region of predicted nucleic acid binding proteins, these acting as favoured sites for potential phosphorylation. Conclusions: The post-translational modifications of LCRs, and in particular the phosphorylation events, could contribute to post-transcriptional gene expression control and the dynamics of protein targeting to membraneless organelles in kinetoplastid parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Cayla
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, Institute for Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH9 3JT, UK
| | - Keith R. Matthews
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, Institute for Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH9 3JT, UK
| | - Alasdair C. Ivens
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, Institute for Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH9 3JT, UK
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Magalhães RDM, Mattos EC, Rozanski A, Galante PAF, Palmisano G, Cruz AK, Colli W, Camargo AA, Alves MJM. Global changes in nitration levels and DNA binding profile of Trypanosoma cruzi histones induced by incubation with host extracellular matrix. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008262. [PMID: 32469928 PMCID: PMC7286532 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Adhesion of T. cruzi trypomastigotes to components of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is an important step in mammalian host cell invasion. We have recently described a significant increase in the tyrosine nitration levels of histones H2A and H4 when trypomastigotes are incubated with components of the ECM. In this work, we used chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) with an anti-nitrotyrosine antibody followed by mass spectrometry to identify nitrated DNA binding proteins in T. cruzi and to detect alterations in nitration levels induced upon parasite incubation with the ECM. Histone H1, H2B, H2A and H3 were detected among the 9 most abundant nitrated DNA binding proteins using this proteomic approach. One nitrated tyrosine residue (Y29) was identified in Histone H2B in the MS/MS spectrum. In addition, we observed a significant increase in the nitration levels of histones H1, H2B, H2A and H4 upon parasite incubation with ECM. Finally, we used ChIP-Seq to map global changes in the DNA binding profile of nitrated proteins. We observed a significant change in the binding pattern of nitrated proteins to DNA after parasite incubation with ECM. This work provides the first global profile of nitrated DNA binding proteins in T. cruzi and additional evidence for modification in the nitration profile of histones upon parasite incubation with ECM. Our data also indicate that the parasite interaction with the ECM induces alterations in chromatin structure, possibly affecting nuclear functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubens Daniel Miserani Magalhães
- Departamento de Bioquímica Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Centro de Oncologia Molecular, Hospital Sírio Libanês, São Paulo, Brazil
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Eliciane Cevolani Mattos
- Departamento de Bioquímica Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Andrei Rozanski
- Centro de Oncologia Molecular, Hospital Sírio Libanês, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Giuseppe Palmisano
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Angela Kaysel Cruz
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Walter Colli
- Departamento de Bioquímica Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Anamaria Aranha Camargo
- Centro de Oncologia Molecular, Hospital Sírio Libanês, São Paulo, Brazil
- * E-mail: (AAC), (MJMA)
| | - Maria Júlia Manso Alves
- Departamento de Bioquímica Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- * E-mail: (AAC), (MJMA)
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26
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Zhang N, Jiang N, Zhang K, Zheng L, Zhang D, Sang X, Feng Y, Chen R, Yang N, Wang X, Cheng Z, Suo X, Lun Z, Chen Q. Landscapes of Protein Posttranslational Modifications of African Trypanosoma Parasites. iScience 2020; 23:101074. [PMID: 32403088 PMCID: PMC7218301 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteins of all living cells undergo a myriad of post-translational modifications (PTMs) that are critical to multifarious life processes. In this study, we describe the first comprehensive multiple PTM-omics atlas in parallel with quantitative proteome analyses of two representative species of African trypanosomes, Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma evansi. Ten PTM types with approximately 40,000 modified sites and 150 histone marks with a fine map on each protein of the two African trypanosomes were accomplished. The two biologically different trypanosomal species displayed distinct PTM-omic features, regulation pathways, and networks. Modifications in the proteins involved in the redox system were mainly upregulated in T. brucei, whereas proteins associated with motility were predominantly modified in T. evansi. The establishment of a database of multiple PTMs in the two parasites provides us with a deep insight into the biological mechanisms that underpin life processes in trypanosomes with different life cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naiwen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110866, China; The Research Unit for Pathogenic Mechanisms of Zoonotic Parasites, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Ning Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110866, China; The Research Unit for Pathogenic Mechanisms of Zoonotic Parasites, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Kai Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110866, China; The Research Unit for Pathogenic Mechanisms of Zoonotic Parasites, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Lili Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110866, China; The Research Unit for Pathogenic Mechanisms of Zoonotic Parasites, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Di Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Xiaoyu Sang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110866, China; The Research Unit for Pathogenic Mechanisms of Zoonotic Parasites, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Ying Feng
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110866, China; The Research Unit for Pathogenic Mechanisms of Zoonotic Parasites, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Ran Chen
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110866, China; The Research Unit for Pathogenic Mechanisms of Zoonotic Parasites, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Na Yang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Xinyi Wang
- College of Basic Sciences, Shenyang Agricultural University, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Zhongyi Cheng
- Jingjie PTM Biolab (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Xun Suo
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zhaorong Lun
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Qijun Chen
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110866, China; The Research Unit for Pathogenic Mechanisms of Zoonotic Parasites, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110866, China.
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27
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Identification of Inhibitors to Trypanosoma cruzi Sirtuins Based on Compounds Developed to Human Enzymes. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21103659. [PMID: 32455951 PMCID: PMC7279216 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21103659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is an illness caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, affecting more than 7 million people in the world. Benznidazole and nifurtimox are the only drugs available for treatment and in addition to causing several side effects, are only satisfactory in the acute phase of the disease. Sirtuins are NAD+-dependent deacetylases involved in several biological processes, which have become drug target candidates in various disease settings. T. cruzi presents two sirtuins, one cytosolic (TcSir2rp1) and the latter mitochondrial (TcSir2rp3). Here, we characterized the effects of human sirtuin inhibitors against T. cruzi sirtuins as an initial approach to develop specific parasite inhibitors. We found that, of 33 compounds tested, two inhibited TcSir2rp1 (15 and 17), while other five inhibited TcSir2rp3 (8, 12, 13, 30, and 32), indicating that specific inhibitors can be devised for each one of the enzymes. Furthermore, all inhibiting compounds prevented parasite proliferation in cultured mammalian cells. When combining the most effective inhibitors with benznidazole at least two compounds, 17 and 32, demonstrated synergistic effects. Altogether, these results support the importance of exploring T. cruzi sirtuins as drug targets and provide key elements to develop specific inhibitors for these enzymes as potential targets for Chagas disease treatment.
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Wassano NS, Leite AB, Reichert-Lima F, Schreiber AZ, Moretti NS, Damasio A. Lysine acetylation as drug target in fungi: an underexplored potential in Aspergillus spp. Braz J Microbiol 2020; 51:673-683. [PMID: 32170592 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-020-00253-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the intensification of the use of immunosuppressive therapies has increased the incidence of invasive infections caused by opportunistic fungi. Considering that, the spread of azole resistance and amphotericin B (AmB) inefficiency against some clinical and environmental isolates has been described. Thus, to avoid a global problem when controlling fungal infections and critical failures in medicine, and food security, new approaches for drug target identification and for the development of new treatments that are more effective against pathogenic fungi are desired. Recent studies indicate that protein acetylation is present in hundreds of proteins of different cellular compartments and is involved in several biological processes, i.e., metabolism, translation, gene expression regulation, and oxidative stress response, from prokaryotes and eukaryotes, including fungi, demonstrating that lysine acetylation plays an important role in essential mechanisms. Lysine acetyltransferases (KATs) and lysine deacetylases (KDACs), the two enzyme families responsible for regulating protein acetylation levels, have been explored as drug targets for the treatment of several human diseases and infections. Aspergilli have on average 8 KAT genes and 11 KDAC genes in their genomes. This review aims to summarize the available knowledge about Aspergillus spp. azole resistance mechanisms and the role of lysine acetylation in the control of biological processes in fungi. We also want to discuss the lysine acetylation as a potential target for fungal infection treatment and drug target discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natália Sayuri Wassano
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Ariely Barbosa Leite
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Franqueline Reichert-Lima
- Department of Clinical Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Angelica Zaninelli Schreiber
- Department of Clinical Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Nilmar S Moretti
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - André Damasio
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil.
- Experimental Medicine Research Cluster (EMRC), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil.
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29
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Bajak K, Leiss K, Clayton CE, Erben E. The endoplasmic reticulum-associated mRNA-binding proteins ERBP1 and ERBP2 interact in bloodstream-form Trypanosoma brucei. PeerJ 2020; 8:e8388. [PMID: 32095321 PMCID: PMC7025706 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Kinetoplastids rely heavily on post-transcriptional mechanisms for control of gene expression, and on RNA-binding proteins that regulate mRNA splicing, translation and decay. Trypanosoma brucei ERBP1 (Tb927.10.14150) and ERBP2 (Tb927.9.9550) were previously identified as mRNA binding proteins that lack canonical RNA-binding domains. We show here that ERBP1 is associated with the endoplasmic reticulum, like ERBP2, and that the two proteins interact in vivo. Loss of ERBP1 from bloodstream-form T. brucei initially resulted in a growth defect but proliferation was restored after more prolonged cultivation. Pull-down analysis of tagged ERBP1 suggests that it preferentially binds to ribosomal protein mRNAs. The ERBP1 sequence resembles that of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Bfr1, which also localises to the endoplasmic reticulum and binds to ribosomal protein mRNAs. However, unlike Bfr1, ERBP1 does not bind to mRNAs encoding secreted proteins, and it is also not recruited to stress granules after starvation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Bajak
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Heidelberg, Germany.,Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kevin Leiss
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christine E Clayton
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Esteban Erben
- Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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30
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Mesías AC, Garg NJ, Zago MP. Redox Balance Keepers and Possible Cell Functions Managed by Redox Homeostasis in Trypanosoma cruzi. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:435. [PMID: 31921709 PMCID: PMC6932984 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The toxicity of oxygen and nitrogen reactive species appears to be merely the tip of the iceberg in the world of redox homeostasis. Now, oxidative stress can be seen as a two-sided process; at high concentrations, it causes damage to biomolecules, and thus, trypanosomes have evolved a strong antioxidant defense system to cope with these stressors. At low concentrations, oxidants are essential for cell signaling, and in fact, the oxidants/antioxidants balance may be able to trigger different cell fates. In this comprehensive review, we discuss the current knowledge of the oxidant environment experienced by T. cruzi along the different phases of its life cycle, and the molecular tools exploited by this pathogen to deal with oxidative stress, for better or worse. Further, we discuss the possible redox-regulated processes that could be governed by this oxidative context. Most of the current research has addressed the importance of the trypanosomes' antioxidant network based on its detox activity of harmful species; however, new efforts are necessary to highlight other functions of this network and the mechanisms underlying the fine regulation of the defense machinery, as this represents a master key to hinder crucial pathogen functions. Understanding the relevance of this balance keeper program in parasite biology will give us new perspectives to delineate improved treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea C Mesías
- Instituto de Patología Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) - Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina
| | - Nisha J Garg
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - M Paola Zago
- Instituto de Patología Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) - Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina
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31
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Alonso VL, Tavernelli LE, Pezza A, Cribb P, Ritagliati C, Serra E. Aim for the Readers! Bromodomains As New Targets Against Chagas’ Disease. Curr Med Chem 2019; 26:6544-6563. [DOI: 10.2174/0929867325666181031132007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Revised: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Bromodomains recognize and bind acetyl-lysine residues present in histone and non-histone
proteins in a specific manner. In the last decade they have raised as attractive targets for drug discovery
because the miss-regulation of human bromodomains was discovered to be involved in the development
of a large spectrum of diseases. However, targeting eukaryotic pathogens bromodomains
continues to be almost unexplored. We and others have reported the essentiality of diverse bromodomain-
containing proteins in protozoa, offering a new opportunity for the development of antiparasitic
drugs, especially for Trypansoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas’ disease. Mammalian bromodomains
were classified in eight groups based on sequence similarity but parasitic bromodomains are very
divergent proteins and are hard to assign them to any of these groups, suggesting that selective inhibitors
can be obtained. In this review, we describe the importance of lysine acetylation and bromodomains
in T. cruzi as well as the current knowledge on mammalian bromodomains. Also, we summarize
the myriad of small-molecules under study to treat different pathologies and which of them have been
tested in trypanosomatids and other protozoa. All the information available led us to propose that
T. cruzi bromodomains should be considered as important potential targets and the search for smallmolecules
to inhibit them should be empowered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Lucia Alonso
- Facultad de Ciencias Bioquimicas y Farmaceuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | | | - Alejandro Pezza
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-CONICET), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Pamela Cribb
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-CONICET), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Carla Ritagliati
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-CONICET), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Esteban Serra
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-CONICET), Rosario, Argentina
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32
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Abstract
In trypanosomes, RNA polymerase II transcription is polycistronic and individual mRNAs are excised by trans-splicing and polyadenylation. The lack of individual gene transcription control is compensated by control of mRNA processing, translation and degradation. Although the basic mechanisms of mRNA decay and translation are evolutionarily conserved, there are also unique aspects, such as the existence of six cap-binding translation initiation factor homologues, a novel decapping enzyme and an mRNA stabilizing complex that is recruited by RNA-binding proteins. High-throughput analyses have identified nearly a hundred regulatory mRNA-binding proteins, making trypanosomes valuable as a model system to investigate post-transcriptional regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Clayton
- University of Heidelberg Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, D69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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Characterization of Evolutionarily Conserved Trypanosoma cruzi NatC and NatA-N-Terminal Acetyltransferase Complexes. J Parasitol Res 2019; 2019:6594212. [PMID: 30956813 PMCID: PMC6431383 DOI: 10.1155/2019/6594212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2018] [Revised: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein N-terminal acetylation is a co- and posttranslational modification, conserved among eukaryotes. It determines the functional fate of many proteins including their stability, complex formation, and subcellular localization. N-terminal acetyltransferases (NATs) transfer an acetyl group to the N-termini of proteins, and the major NATs in yeast and humans are NatA, NatB, and NatC. In this study, we characterized the Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) NatC and NatA protein complexes, each consisting of one catalytic subunit and predicted auxiliary subunits. The proteins were found to be expressed in the three main life cycle stages of the parasite, formed stable complexes in vivo, and partially cosedimented with the ribosome in agreement with a cotranslational function. An in vitro acetylation assay clearly demonstrated that the acetylated substrates of the NatC catalytic subunit from T. cruzi were similar to those of yeast and human NatC, suggesting evolutionary conservation of function. An RNAi knockdown of the Trypanosoma brucei (T. brucei) NatC catalytic subunit indicated that reduced NatC-mediated N-terminal acetylation of target proteins reduces parasite growth.
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34
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Proteome-Wide Analysis of Trypanosoma cruzi Exponential and Stationary Growth Phases Reveals a Subcellular Compartment-Specific Regulation. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:genes9080413. [PMID: 30111733 PMCID: PMC6115888 DOI: 10.3390/genes9080413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2018] [Revised: 08/04/2018] [Accepted: 08/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, cycles through different life stages characterized by defined molecular traits associated with the proliferative or differentiation state. In particular, T. cruzi epimastigotes are the replicative forms that colonize the intestine of the Triatomine insect vector before entering the stationary phase that is crucial for differentiation into metacyclic trypomastigotes, which are the infective forms of mammalian hosts. The transition from proliferative exponential phase to quiescent stationary phase represents an important step that recapitulates the early molecular events of metacyclogenesis, opening new possibilities for understanding this process. In this study, we report a quantitative shotgun proteomic analysis of the T. cruzi epimastigote in the exponential and stationary growth phases. More than 3000 proteins were detected and quantified, highlighting the regulation of proteins involved in different subcellular compartments. Ribosomal proteins were upregulated in the exponential phase, supporting the higher replication rate of this growth phase. Autophagy-related proteins were upregulated in the stationary growth phase, indicating the onset of the metacyclogenesis process. Moreover, this study reports the regulation of N-terminally acetylated proteins during growth phase transitioning, adding a new layer of regulation to this process. Taken together, this study reports a proteome-wide rewiring during T. cruzi transit from the replicative exponential phase to the stationary growth phase, which is the preparatory phase for differentiation.
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