Abstract
Background
Trypanosoma cruzi is a protist parasite that causes Chagas disease. Several proteins that are essential for parasite virulence and involved in host immune responses are anchored to the membrane through glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) molecules. In addition, T. cruzi GPI anchors have immunostimulatory activities, including the ability to stimulate the synthesis of cytokines by innate immune cells. Therefore, T. cruzi genes related to GPI anchor biosynthesis constitute potential new targets for the development of better therapies against Chagas disease.
Methodology/Principal Findings
In silico analysis of the T. cruzi genome resulted in the identification of 18 genes encoding proteins of the GPI biosynthetic pathway as well as the inositolphosphorylceramide (IPC) synthase gene. Expression of GFP fusions of some of these proteins in T. cruzi epimastigotes showed that they localize in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Expression analyses of two genes indicated that they are constitutively expressed in all stages of the parasite life cycle. T. cruzi genes TcDPM1, TcGPI10 and TcGPI12 complement conditional yeast mutants in GPI biosynthesis. Attempts to generate T. cruzi knockouts for three genes were unsuccessful, suggesting that GPI may be an essential component of the parasite. Regarding TcGPI8, which encodes the catalytic subunit of the transamidase complex, although we were able to generate single allele knockout mutants, attempts to disrupt both alleles failed, resulting instead in parasites that have undergone genomic recombination and maintained at least one active copy of the gene.
Conclusions/Significance
Analyses of T. cruzi sequences encoding components of the GPI biosynthetic pathway indicated that they are essential genes involved in key aspects of host-parasite interactions. Complementation assays of yeast mutants with these T. cruzi genes resulted in yeast cell lines that can now be employed in high throughput screenings of drugs against this parasite.
Chagas disease, considered one of the most neglected tropical diseases, is caused by the blood-borne parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and currently affects about 8 million people in Latin America. T. cruzi can be transmitted by insect vectors, blood transfusion, organ transplantation and mother-to-baby as well as through ingestion of contaminated food. Although T. cruzi causes life-long infections that can result in serious damage to the heart, the two drugs currently available to treat Chagas disease, benznidazole and nifurtimox, which have been used for more than 40 years, have proven efficacy only during the acute phase of the disease. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop new drugs that are more targeted, less toxic, and more effective against this parasite. Here we described the characterization of T. cruzi genes involved in the biosynthesis of GPI anchors, a molecule responsible for holding different types of glycoproteins on the parasite membrane. Since GPI anchored proteins are essential molecules T. cruzi uses during infection, besides helping understand how this parasite interacts with its host, this work may contribute to the development of better therapies against Chagas disease.
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