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Chmelová Ľ, Kraeva N, Saura A, Krayzel A, Vieira CS, Ferreira TN, Soares RP, Bučková B, Galan A, Horáková E, Vojtková B, Sádlová J, Malysheva MN, Butenko A, Prokopchuk G, Frolov AO, Lukeš J, Horváth A, Škodová-Sveráková I, Feder D, Yu Kostygov A, Yurchenko V. Intricate balance of dually-localized catalase modulates infectivity of Leptomonas seymouri (Kinetoplastea: Trypanosomatidae). Int J Parasitol 2024; 54:391-400. [PMID: 38663543 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2024.04.007] [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: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Nearly all aerobic organisms are equipped with catalases, powerful enzymes scavenging hydrogen peroxide and facilitating defense against harmful reactive oxygen species. In trypanosomatids, this enzyme was not present in the common ancestor, yet it had been independently acquired by different lineages of monoxenous trypanosomatids from different bacteria at least three times. This observation posited an obvious question: why was catalase so "sought after" if many trypanosomatid groups do just fine without it? In this work, we analyzed subcellular localization and function of catalase in Leptomonas seymouri. We demonstrated that this enzyme is present in the cytoplasm and a subset of glycosomes, and that its cytoplasmic retention is H2O2-dependent. The ablation of catalase in this parasite is not detrimental in vivo, while its overexpression resulted in a substantially higher parasite load in the experimental infection of Dysdercus peruvianus. We propose that the capacity of studied flagellates to modulate the catalase activity in the midgut of its insect host facilitates their development and protects them from oxidative damage at elevated temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ľubomíra Chmelová
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Natalya Kraeva
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Andreu Saura
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Adam Krayzel
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Cecilia Stahl Vieira
- Universidade Federal Fluminense, Instituto de Biologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Niterói, Brazil
| | - Tainá Neves Ferreira
- Universidade Federal Fluminense, Instituto de Biologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Niterói, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Pedro Soares
- Biotechnology Applied to Pathogens (BAP), Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Barbora Bučková
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Arnau Galan
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Eva Horáková
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Barbora Vojtková
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Jovana Sádlová
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Marina N Malysheva
- Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Anzhelika Butenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia; Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Galina Prokopchuk
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Alexander O Frolov
- Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Julius Lukeš
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Anton Horváth
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ingrid Škodová-Sveráková
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia; Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Denise Feder
- Universidade Federal Fluminense, Instituto de Biologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Niterói, Brazil; Universidade Federal Fluminense, Instituto de Biologia, Laboratório de Biologia de Insetos, Niterói, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Alexei Yu Kostygov
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia; Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Vyacheslav Yurchenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia.
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Opperdoes FR, Záhonová K, Škodová-Sveráková I, Bučková B, Chmelová Ľ, Lukeš J, Yurchenko V. In silico prediction of the metabolism of Blastocrithidia nonstop, a trypanosomatid with non-canonical genetic code. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:184. [PMID: 38365628 PMCID: PMC10874023 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10094-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Almost all extant organisms use the same, so-called canonical, genetic code with departures from it being very rare. Even more exceptional are the instances when a eukaryote with non-canonical code can be easily cultivated and has its whole genome and transcriptome sequenced. This is the case of Blastocrithidia nonstop, a trypanosomatid flagellate that reassigned all three stop codons to encode amino acids. RESULTS We in silico predicted the metabolism of B. nonstop and compared it with that of the well-studied human parasites Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania major. The mapped mitochondrial, glycosomal and cytosolic metabolism contains all typical features of these diverse and important parasites. We also provided experimental validation for some of the predicted observations, concerning, specifically presence of glycosomes, cellular respiration, and assembly of the respiratory complexes. CONCLUSIONS In an unusual comparison of metabolism between a parasitic protist with a massively altered genetic code and its close relatives that rely on a canonical code we showed that the dramatic differences on the level of nucleic acids do not seem to be reflected in the metabolisms. Moreover, although the genome of B. nonstop is extremely AT-rich, we could not find any alterations of its pyrimidine synthesis pathway when compared to other trypanosomatids. Hence, we conclude that the dramatic alteration of the genetic code of B. nonstop has no significant repercussions on the metabolism of this flagellate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fred R Opperdoes
- de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kristína Záhonová
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czechia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Ingrid Škodová-Sveráková
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Barbora Bučková
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ľubomíra Chmelová
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Julius Lukeš
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Vyacheslav Yurchenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia.
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Rojas-Pirela M, Kemmerling U, Quiñones W, Michels PAM, Rojas V. Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs): Potential Therapeutic Strategy against Trypanosomiases? Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13040599. [PMID: 37189347 DOI: 10.3390/biom13040599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Trypanosomiases are a group of tropical diseases that have devastating health and socio-economic effects worldwide. In humans, these diseases are caused by the pathogenic kinetoplastids Trypanosoma brucei, causing African trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness, and Trypanosoma cruzi, causing American trypanosomiasis or Chagas disease. Currently, these diseases lack effective treatment. This is attributed to the high toxicity and limited trypanocidal activity of registered drugs, as well as resistance development and difficulties in their administration. All this has prompted the search for new compounds that can serve as the basis for the development of treatment of these diseases. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are small peptides synthesized by both prokaryotes and (unicellular and multicellular) eukaryotes, where they fulfill functions related to competition strategy with other organisms and immune defense. These AMPs can bind and induce perturbation in cell membranes, leading to permeation of molecules, alteration of morphology, disruption of cellular homeostasis, and activation of cell death. These peptides have activity against various pathogenic microorganisms, including parasitic protists. Therefore, they are being considered for new therapeutic strategies to treat some parasitic diseases. In this review, we analyze AMPs as therapeutic alternatives for the treatment of trypanosomiases, emphasizing their possible application as possible candidates for the development of future natural anti-trypanosome drugs.
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Phanprasert Y, Maciszewski K, Gentekaki E, Dacks JB. Comparative genomic analysis illustrates evolutionary dynamics of multisubunit tethering complexes across green algal diversity. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2023; 70:e12935. [PMID: 35790054 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The chlorophyte algae are a dominant group of photosynthetic eukaryotes. Although many are photoautotrophs, there are also mixotrophs, heterotrophs, and even parasites. The physical characteristics of green algae are also highly diverse, varying greatly in size, shape, and habitat. Given this morphological and trophic diversity, we postulated that diversity may also exist in the protein components controlling intracellular movement of material by vesicular transport. One such set is the multisubunit tethering complexes (MTCs)-components regulating cargo delivery. As they span endomembrane organelles and are well-conserved across eukaryotes, MTCs should be a good proxy for assessing the evolutionary dynamics across the diversity of Chlorophyta. Our results reveal that while green algae carry a generally conserved and unduplicated complement of MTCs, some intriguing variation exists. Notably, we identified incomplete sets of TRAPPII, exocyst, and HOPS/CORVET components in all Mamiellophyceae, and what is more, not a single subunit of Dsl1 was found in Cymbomonas tetramitiformis. As the absence of Dsl1 has been correlated with having unusual peroxisomes, we searched for peroxisome biogenesis machinery, finding very few components in Cymbomonas, suggestive of peroxisome degeneration. Overall, we demonstrate conservation of MTCs across green algae, but with notable taxon-specific losses suggestive of unusual endomembrane systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kacper Maciszewski
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Eleni Gentekaki
- School of Science, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, Thailand.,Gut Microbiome Research Group, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, Thailand
| | - Joel B Dacks
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Institute of Evolutionary Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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Approaches to advance drug discovery for neglected tropical diseases. Drug Discov Today 2022; 27:2278-2287. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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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: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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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Banerjee H, LaPointe P, Eitzen G, Rachubinski RA. A Small Molecule Inhibitor of Pex3-Pex19 Interaction Disrupts Glycosome Biogenesis and Causes Lethality in Trypanosoma brucei. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:703603. [PMID: 34350186 PMCID: PMC8326762 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.703603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosomatid parasites, including Trypanosoma and Leishmania, are infectious zoonotic agents for a number of severe diseases such as African sleeping sickness and American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease) that affect millions of people, mostly in the emergent world. The glycosome is a specialized member of the peroxisome family of organelles found in trypanosomatids. These organelles compartmentalize essential enzymes of the glycolytic pathway, making them a prime target for drugs that can kill these organisms by interfering with either their biochemical functions or their formation. Glycosome biogenesis, like peroxisome biogenesis, is controlled by a group of proteins called peroxins (Pex). Pex3 is an early acting peroxin that docks Pex19, the receptor for peroxisomal membrane proteins, to initiate biogenesis of peroxisomes from the endoplasmic reticulum. Identification of Pex3 as the essential master regulator of glycosome biogenesis has implications in developing small molecule inhibitors that can impede Pex3–Pex19 interaction. Low amino acid sequence conservation between trypanosomatid Pex3 and human Pex3 (HsPex3) would aid in the identification of small molecule inhibitors that selectively interfere with the trypanosomatid Pex3–Pex19 interaction. We tested a library of pharmacologically active compounds in a modified yeast two-hybrid assay and identified a compound that preferentially inhibited the interaction of Trypanosoma brucei Pex3 and Pex19 versus HsPex3 and Pex19. Addition of this compound to either the insect or bloodstream form of T. brucei disrupted glycosome biogenesis, leading to mislocalization of glycosomal enzymes to the cytosol and lethality for the parasite. Our results show that preferential disruption of trypanosomal Pex3 function by small molecule inhibitors could help in the accelerated development of drugs for the treatment of trypanosomiases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiren Banerjee
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Paul LaPointe
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Gary Eitzen
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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