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Sabalette KB, Campo VA, Sotelo-Silveira JR, Smircich P, De Gaudenzi JG. Transcriptomic analysis of N-terminal mutated Trypanosoma cruzi UBP1 knockdown underlines the importance of this RNA-binding protein in parasite development. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012179. [PMID: 38758959 PMCID: PMC11139272 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During its life cycle, the human pathogen Trypanosoma cruzi must quickly adapt to different environments, in which the variation in the gene expression of the regulatory U-rich RNA-binding protein 1 (TcUBP1) plays a crucial role. We have previously demonstrated that the overexpression of TcUBP1 in insect-dwelling epimastigotes orchestrates an RNA regulon to promote differentiation to infective forms. METHODS In an attempt to generate TcUBP1 knockout parasites by using CRISPR-Cas9 technology, in the present study, we obtained a variant transcript that encodes a protein with 95% overall identity and a modified N-terminal sequence. The expression of this mutant protein, named TcUBP1mut, was notably reduced compared to that of the endogenous form found in normal cells. TcUBP1mut-knockdown epimastigotes exhibited normal growth and differentiation into infective metacyclic trypomastigotes and were capable of infecting mammalian cells. RESULTS We analyzed the RNA-Seq expression profiles of these parasites and identified 276 up- and 426 downregulated genes with respect to the wildtype control sample. RNA-Seq comparison across distinct developmental stages revealed that the transcriptomic profile of these TcUBP1mut-knockdown epimastigotes significantly differs not only from that of epimastigotes in the stationary phase but also from the gene expression landscape characteristic of infective forms. This is both contrary to and consistent with the results of our recent study involving TcUBP1-overexpressing cells. CONCLUSION Together, our findings demonstrate that the genes exhibiting opposite changes under overexpression and knockdown conditions unveil key mRNA targets regulated by TcUBP1. These mostly encompass transcripts that encode for trypomastigote-specific surface glycoproteins and ribosomal proteins, supporting a role for TcUBP1 in determining the molecular characteristics of the infective stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina B. Sabalette
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de San Martín—Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, General San Martín, Prov. de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (EByN), Universidad Nacional de San Martín, General San Martín, Prov. de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Vanina A. Campo
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de San Martín—Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, General San Martín, Prov. de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (EByN), Universidad Nacional de San Martín, General San Martín, Prov. de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - José R. Sotelo-Silveira
- Department of Genomics, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Instituto de Biología, School of Sciences, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Pablo Smircich
- Department of Genomics, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Instituto de Biología, School of Sciences, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Javier G. De Gaudenzi
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de San Martín—Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, General San Martín, Prov. de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (EByN), Universidad Nacional de San Martín, General San Martín, Prov. de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Hoyos Sanchez MC, Ospina Zapata HS, Suarez BD, Ospina C, Barbosa HJ, Carranza Martinez JC, Vallejo GA, Urrea Montes D, Duitama J. A phased genome assembly of a Colombian Trypanosoma cruzi TcI strain and the evolution of gene families. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2054. [PMID: 38267502 PMCID: PMC10808112 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52449-x] [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: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Chagas is an endemic disease in tropical regions of Latin America, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. High intraspecies variability and genome complexity have been challenges to assemble high quality genomes needed for studies in evolution, population genomics, diagnosis and drug development. Here we present a chromosome-level phased assembly of a TcI T. cruzi strain (Dm25). While 29 chromosomes show a large collinearity with the assembly of the Brazil A4 strain, three chromosomes show both large heterozygosity and large divergence, compared to previous assemblies of TcI T. cruzi strains. Nucleotide and protein evolution statistics indicate that T. cruzi Marinkellei separated before the diversification of T. cruzi in the known DTUs. Interchromosomal paralogs of dispersed gene families and histones appeared before but at the same time have a more strict purifying selection, compared to other repeat families. Previously unreported large tandem arrays of protein kinases and histones were identified in this assembly. Over one million variants obtained from Illumina reads aligned to the primary assembly clearly separate the main DTUs. We expect that this new assembly will be a valuable resource for further studies on evolution and functional genomics of Trypanosomatids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Camila Hoyos Sanchez
- Systems and Computing Engineering Department, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Texas Tech University, Amarillo, TX, 79106, USA
| | | | - Brayhan Dario Suarez
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones en Parasitología Tropical (LIPT), Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia
| | - Carlos Ospina
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones en Parasitología Tropical (LIPT), Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia
| | - Hamilton Julian Barbosa
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones en Parasitología Tropical (LIPT), Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia
| | | | - Gustavo Adolfo Vallejo
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones en Parasitología Tropical (LIPT), Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia
| | - Daniel Urrea Montes
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones en Parasitología Tropical (LIPT), Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia
| | - Jorge Duitama
- Systems and Computing Engineering Department, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia.
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Povelones ML, Holmes NA, Povelones M. A sticky situation: When trypanosomatids attach to insect tissues. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011854. [PMID: 38128049 PMCID: PMC10734937 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Transmission of trypanosomatids to their mammalian hosts requires a complex series of developmental transitions in their insect vectors, including stable attachment to an insect tissue. While there are many ultrastructural descriptions of attached cells, we know little about the signaling events and molecular mechanisms involved in this process. Each trypanosomatid species attaches to a specific tissue in the insect at a particular stage of its life cycle. Attachment is mediated by the flagellum, which is modified to accommodate a filament-rich plaque within an expanded region of the flagellar membrane. Attachment immediately precedes differentiation to the mammal-infectious stage and in some cases a direct mechanistic link has been demonstrated. In this review, we summarize the current state of knowledge of trypanosomatid attachment in insects, including structure, function, signaling, candidate molecules, and changes in gene expression. We also highlight remaining questions about this process and how the field is poised to address them through modern approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan L. Povelones
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Nikki A. Holmes
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Michael Povelones
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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Chiurillo MA, Ahmed M, González C, Raja A, Lander N. Gene editing of putative cAMP and Ca 2+ -regulated proteins using an efficient cloning-free CRISPR/Cas9 system in Trypanosoma cruzi. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.09.548290. [PMID: 37502958 PMCID: PMC10369910 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.09.548290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi , the agent of Chagas disease, must adapt to a diversity of environmental conditions that it faces during its life cycle. The adaptation to these changes is mediated by signaling pathways that coordinate the cellular responses to the new environmental settings. Cyclic AMP (cAMP) and Calcium (Ca 2+ ) signaling pathways regulate critical cellular processes in this parasite, such as differentiation, osmoregulation, host cell invasion and cell bioenergetics. Although the use of CRISPR/Cas9 technology prompted reverse genetics approaches for functional analysis in T. cruzi , it is still necessary to expand the toolbox for genome editing in this parasite, as for example to perform multigene analysis. Here we used an efficient T7RNAP/Cas9 strategy to tag and delete three genes predicted to be involved in cAMP and Ca 2+ signaling pathways: a putative Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase ( CAMK ), Flagellar Member 6 ( FLAM6 ) and Cyclic nucleotide-binding domain/C2 domain-containing protein ( CC2CP ). We endogenously tagged these three genes and determined the subcellular localization of the tagged proteins. Furthermore, the strategy used to knockout these genes allow us to presume that TcCC2CP is an essential gene in T. cruzi epimastigotes. Our results will open new venues for future research on the role of these proteins in T. cruzi .
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RNA-seq reveals that overexpression of TcUBP1 switches the gene expression pattern towards that of the infective form of Trypanosoma cruzi. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:104623. [PMID: 36935010 PMCID: PMC10141520 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Trypanosomes regulate gene expression mainly by using post-transcriptional mechanisms. Key factors responsible for carrying out this regulation are RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), affecting subcellular localization, translation, and/or transcript stability. Trypanosoma cruzi U-rich RBP 1 (TcUBP1) is a small protein that modulates the expression of several surface glycoproteins of the trypomastigote infective stage of the parasite. Its mRNA targets are known but the impact of its overexpression at the transcriptome level in the insect-dwelling epimastigote cells has not yet been investigated. Thus, in the present study, by using a tetracycline-inducible system, we generated a population of TcUBP1-overexpressing parasites and analyzed its effect by RNA-seq methodology. This allowed us to identify 793 up- and 371 down-regulated genes with respect to the wild-type control sample. Among the up-regulated genes, it was possible to identify members coding for the TcS superfamily, MASP, MUCI/II, and protein kinases, whereas among the down-regulated transcripts, we found mainly genes coding for ribosomal, mitochondrial, and synthetic pathway proteins. RNA-seq comparison with two previously published datasets revealed that the expression profile of this TcUBP1-overexpressing replicative epimastigote form resembles the transition to the infective metacyclic trypomastigote stage. We identified novel cis-regulatory elements in the 3'-untranslated region of the affected transcripts and confirmed that UBP1m -a signature TcUBP1 binding element previously characterized in our lab- is enriched in the list of stabilized genes. We can conclude that the overall effect of TcUBP1 overexpression on the epimastigote transcriptome is mainly the stabilization of mRNAs coding for proteins that are important for parasite infection.
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Ramírez JL. The Elusive Trypanosoma cruzi Disperse Gene Protein Family (DGF-1). Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12020292. [PMID: 36839564 PMCID: PMC9967923 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12020292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi infections, is included in the group of neglected diseases, and efforts to develop new therapeutic or immunoprevention approaches have not been successful. After the publication of the T. cruzi genome, the number of molecular and biochemical studies on this parasite has increased considerably, many of which are focused on families of variant surface proteins, especially trans-sialidases, mucins, and mucin-associated proteins. The disperse gene protein 1 family (DGF-1) is one of the most abundant families in the T. cruzi genome; however, the large gene size, high copy numbers, and low antibody titers detected in infected humans make it an unattractive study target. However, here we argue that given the ubiquitous presence in all T. cruzi species, and physicochemical characteristics, the DGF-1 gene family may play and important role in host-parasite interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Luis Ramírez
- Instituto de Estudios Avanzados, Caracas, Venezuela and Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas 1080, Venezuela
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7
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Bertolini MS, Docampo R. MICU1 and MICU2 potentiation of Ca 2+ uptake by the mitochondrial Ca 2+ uniporter of Trypanosoma cruzi and its inhibition by Mg 2. Cell Calcium 2022; 107:102654. [PMID: 36166935 PMCID: PMC10433726 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceca.2022.102654] [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: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake, which is important to regulate bioenergetics, cell death and cytoplasmic Ca2+ signaling, is mediated via the calcium uniporter complex (MCUC). In animal cells the MCUC is regulated by the mitochondrial calcium uptake 1 and 2 dimer (MICU1/MICU2), which has been proposed to act as gatekeeper preventing mitochondrial Ca2+ overload at low cytosolic Ca2+ levels. In contrast to animal cells, knockout of either MICU1 or MICU2 in Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, did not allow Ca2+ uptake at low extramitochondrial Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]ext) and it was though that in the absence of one MICU the other would replace its role. However, previous attempts to knockout both genes were unsuccessful. Here, we designed a strategy to generate TcMICU1/TcMICU2 double knockout cell lines using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing. Ablation of both genes was confirmed by PCR and Southern blot analyses. The absence of both proteins did not allow Ca2+ uptake at low [Ca2+]ext, significantly decreased the mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake at different [Ca2+]ext, without dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane potential, and increased the [Ca2+]ext set point needed for Ca2+ uptake, as we have seen with TcMICU1-KO and TcMICU2-KO cells. Mg2+ was found to be a negative regulator of MCUC-mediated mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake at different [Ca2+]ext. Occlusion of the MCUC pore by Mg2+ could partially explain the lack of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake at low [Ca2+]ext in TcMICU1/TcMICU2-KO cells. In addition, TcMICU1/TcMICU2-KO epimastigotes had a lower growth rate, while infective trypomastigotes have a reduced capacity to invade host cells and to replicate within them as amastigotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayara S Bertolini
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Roberto Docampo
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.
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8
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Chiurillo MA, Jensen BC, Docampo R. Drug Target Validation of the Protein Kinase AEK1, Essential for Proliferation, Host Cell Invasion, and Intracellular Replication of the Human Pathogen Trypanosoma cruzi. Microbiol Spectr 2021; 9:e0073821. [PMID: 34585973 PMCID: PMC8557885 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00738-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein phosphorylation is involved in several key biological roles in the complex life cycle of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, and protein kinases are potential drug targets. Here, we report that the AGC essential kinase 1 (TcAEK1) exhibits a cytosolic localization and a higher level of expression in the replicative stages of the parasite. A CRISPR/Cas9 editing technique was used to generate ATP analog-sensitive TcAEK1 gatekeeper residue mutants that were selectively and acutely inhibited by bumped kinase inhibitors (BKIs). Analysis of a single allele deletion cell line (TcAEK1-SKO), and gatekeeper mutants upon treatment with inhibitor, showed that epimastigote forms exhibited a severe defect in cytokinesis. Moreover, we also demonstrated that TcAEK1 is essential for epimastigote proliferation, trypomastigote host cell invasion, and amastigote replication. We suggest that TcAEK1 is a pleiotropic player involved in cytokinesis regulation in T. cruzi and thus validate TcAEK1 as a drug target for further exploration. The gene editing strategy we applied to construct the ATP analog-sensitive enzyme could be appropriate for the study of other proteins of the T. cruzi kinome. IMPORTANCE Chagas disease affects 6 to 7 million people in the Americas, and its treatment has been limited to drugs with relatively high toxicity and low efficacy in the chronic phase of the infection. New validated targets are needed to combat this disease. In this work, we report the chemical and genetic validation of the protein kinase AEK1, which is essential for cytokinesis and infectivity, using a novel gene editing strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A. Chiurillo
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Bryan C. Jensen
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Roberto Docampo
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
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dos Santos GRRM, Leite ACR, Lander N, Chiurillo MA, Vercesi AE, Docampo R. Trypanosoma cruzi Letm1 is involved in mitochondrial Ca 2+ transport, and is essential for replication, differentiation, and host cell invasion. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21685. [PMID: 34085343 PMCID: PMC10437107 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202100120rr] [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: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Leucine zipper-EF-hand containing transmembrane protein 1 (Letm1) is a mitochondrial inner membrane protein involved in Ca2+ and K+ homeostasis in mammalian cells. Here, we demonstrate that the Letm1 orthologue of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, is important for mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake and release. The results show that both mitochondrial Ca2+ influx and efflux are reduced in TcLetm1 knockdown (TcLetm1-KD) cells and increased in TcLetm1 overexpressing cells, without alterations in the mitochondrial membrane potential. Remarkably, TcLetm1 knockdown or overexpression increases or does not affect mitochondrial Ca2+ levels in epimastigotes, respectively. TcLetm1-KD epimastigotes have reduced growth, and both overexpression and knockdown of TcLetm1 cause a defect in metacyclogenesis. TcLetm1-KD also affected mitochondrial bioenergetics. Invasion of host cells by TcLetm1-KD trypomastigotes and their intracellular replication is greatly impaired. Taken together, our findings indicate that TcLetm1 is important for Ca2+ homeostasis and cell viability in T cruzi.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ana Catarina Rezende Leite
- Laboratório de Bioenergética, Instituto de Química e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil
| | - Noelia Lander
- Center of Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Miguel Angel Chiurillo
- Center of Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Aníbal Eugênio Vercesi
- Departamento de Patologia Clínica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Roberto Docampo
- Departamento de Patologia Clínica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Center of Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
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Chiurillo MA, Lander N, Vercesi AE, Docampo R. IP3 receptor-mediated Ca2+ release from acidocalcisomes regulates mitochondrial bioenergetics and prevents autophagy in Trypanosoma cruzi. Cell Calcium 2020; 92:102284. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ceca.2020.102284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Watanabe Costa R, Batista MF, Meneghelli I, Vidal RO, Nájera CA, Mendes AC, Andrade-Lima IA, da Silveira JF, Lopes LR, Ferreira LRP, Antoneli F, Bahia D. Comparative Analysis of the Secretome and Interactome of Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli Reveals Species Specific Immune Response Modulating Proteins. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1774. [PMID: 32973747 PMCID: PMC7481403 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, a zoonosis caused by the flagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is a chronic and systemic parasitic infection that affects ~5–7 million people worldwide, mainly in Latin America. Chagas disease is an emerging public health problem due to the lack of vaccines and effective treatments. According to recent studies, several T. cruzi secreted proteins interact with the human host during cell invasion. Moreover, some comparative studies with T. rangeli, which is non-pathogenic in humans, have been performed to identify proteins directly involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. In this study, we present an integrated analysis of canonical putative secreted proteins (PSPs) from both species. Additionally, we propose an interactome with human host and gene family clusters, and a phylogenetic inference of a selected protein. In total, we identified 322 exclusively PSPs in T. cruzi and 202 in T. rangeli. Among the PSPs identified in T. cruzi, we found several trans-sialidases, mucins, MASPs, proteins with phospholipase 2 domains (PLA2-like), and proteins with Hsp70 domains (Hsp70-like) which have been previously characterized and demonstrated to be related to T. cruzi virulence. PSPs found in T. rangeli were related to protozoan metabolism, specifically carboxylases and phosphatases. Furthermore, we also identified PSPs that may interact with the human immune system, including heat shock and MASP proteins, but in a lower number compared to T. cruzi. Interestingly, we describe a hypothetical hybrid interactome of PSPs which reveals that T. cruzi secreted molecules may be down-regulating IL-17 whilst T. rangeli may enhance the production of IL-15. These results will pave the way for a better understanding of the pathophysiology of Chagas disease and may ultimately lead to the identification of molecular targets, such as key PSPs, that could be used to minimize the health outcomes of Chagas disease by modulating the immune response triggered by T. cruzi infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata Watanabe Costa
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marina Ferreira Batista
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Isabela Meneghelli
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Ramon Oliveira Vidal
- The Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology-Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association in Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Laboratorio Nacional de Biociências (LNBio), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carlos Alcides Nájera
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Ana Clara Mendes
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Izabela Augusta Andrade-Lima
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - José Franco da Silveira
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luciano Rodrigo Lopes
- Departamento de Informática em Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ludmila Rodrigues Pinto Ferreira
- RNA Systems Biology Lab (RSBL), Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Fernando Antoneli
- Departamento de Informática em Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Diana Bahia
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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de Araujo CB, da Cunha JPC, Inada DT, Damasceno J, Lima ARJ, Hiraiwa P, Marques C, Gonçalves E, Nishiyama-Junior MY, McCulloch R, Elias MC. Replication origin location might contribute to genetic variability in Trypanosoma cruzi. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:414. [PMID: 32571205 PMCID: PMC7310030 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-06803-8] [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: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background DNA replication in trypanosomatids operates in a uniquely challenging environment, since most of their genomes are constitutively transcribed. Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, presents high variability in both chromosomes size and copy number among strains, though the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Results Here we have mapped sites of DNA replication initiation across the T. cruzi genome using Marker Frequency Analysis, which has previously only been deployed in two related trypanosomatids. The putative origins identified in T. cruzi show a notable enrichment of GC content, a preferential position at subtelomeric regions, coinciding with genes transcribed towards the telomeres, and a pronounced enrichment within coding DNA sequences, most notably in genes from the Dispersed Gene Family 1 (DGF-1). Conclusions These findings suggest a scenario where collisions between DNA replication and transcription are frequent, leading to increased genetic variability, as seen by the increase SNP levels at chromosome subtelomeres and in DGF-1 genes containing putative origins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Bezerra de Araujo
- Laboratório de Ciclo Celular, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil.,Center of Toxins, Immune Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Julia Pinheiro Chagas da Cunha
- Laboratório de Ciclo Celular, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil. .,Center of Toxins, Immune Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Davi Toshio Inada
- Laboratório de Ciclo Celular, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil.,Center of Toxins, Immune Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jeziel Damasceno
- The Wellcome Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Alex Ranieri Jerônimo Lima
- Laboratório de Tecnologia Biomolecular - Bioinformática, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | | | - Catarina Marques
- The Wellcome Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Evonnildo Gonçalves
- Laboratório de Tecnologia Biomolecular - Bioinformática, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Milton Yutaka Nishiyama-Junior
- Center of Toxins, Immune Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil.,Laboratório Especial de Toxinologia Aplicada, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Richard McCulloch
- The Wellcome Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Maria Carolina Elias
- Laboratório de Ciclo Celular, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil. .,Center of Toxins, Immune Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Ramirez JL. An Evolutionary View of Trypanosoma Cruzi Telomeres. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 9:439. [PMID: 31998659 PMCID: PMC6967402 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Like in most eukaryotes, the linear chromosomes of Trypanosoma cruzi end in a nucleoprotein structure called the telomere, which is preceded by regions of variable length called subtelomeres. Together telomeres and subtelomeres are dynamic sites where DNA sequence rearrangements can occur without compromising essential interstitial genes or chromosomal synteny. Good examples of subtelomeres involvement are the expansion of human olfactory receptors genes, variant surface antigens in Trypanosoma brucei, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae mating types. T. cruzi telomeres are made of long stretches of the hexameric repeat 5′-TTAGGG-OH-3′, and its subtelomeres are enriched in genes and pseudogenes from the large gene families RHS, TS and DGF1, DEAD/H-RNA helicase and N-acetyltransferase, intermingled with sequences of retrotransposons elements. In particular, members of the Trans-sialidase type II family appear to have played a role in shaping the current T. cruzi telomere structure. Although the structure and function of T. cruzi telomeric and subtelomeric regions have been documented, recent experiments are providing new insights into T. cruzi's telomere-subtelomere dynamics. In this review, I discuss the co-evolution of telomere, subtelomeres and the TS gene family, and the role that these regions may have played in shaping T. cruzi's genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Luis Ramirez
- Fundación Instituto de Estudios Avanzados and United Nations University UNU-BIOLAC, Caracas, Venezuela
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Chiurillo MA, Lander N, Bertolini MS, Vercesi AE, Docampo R. Functional analysis and importance for host cell infection of the Ca 2+-conducting subunits of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter of Trypanosoma cruzi. Mol Biol Cell 2019; 30:1676-1690. [PMID: 31091170 PMCID: PMC6727756 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e19-03-0152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
We report here that Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, possesses two unique paralogues of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter complex TcMCU subunit that we named TcMCUc and TcMCUd. The predicted structure of the proteins indicates that, as predicted for the TcMCU and TcMCUb paralogues, they are composed of two helical membrane-spanning domains and contain a WDXXEPXXY motif. Overexpression of each gene led to a significant increase in mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake, while knockout (KO) of either TcMCUc or TcMCUd led to a loss of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake, without affecting the mitochondrial membrane potential. TcMCUc-KO and TcMCUd-KO epimastigotes exhibited reduced growth rate in low-glucose medium and alterations in their respiratory rate, citrate synthase activity, and AMP/ATP ratio, while trypomastigotes had reduced ability to efficiently infect host cells and replicate intracellularly as amastigotes. By gene complementation of KO cell lines or by a newly developed CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knock-in approach, we also studied the importance of critical amino acid residues of the four paralogues on mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake. In conclusion, the results predict a hetero-oligomeric structure for the T. cruzi MCU complex, with structural and functional differences, as compared with those in the mammalian complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A Chiurillo
- Departamento de Patologia Clínica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083, Brazil
| | - Noelia Lander
- Departamento de Patologia Clínica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083, Brazil
| | - Mayara S Bertolini
- Departamento de Patologia Clínica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083, Brazil
| | - Anibal E Vercesi
- Departamento de Patologia Clínica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083, Brazil
| | - Roberto Docampo
- Departamento de Patologia Clínica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083, Brazil.,Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
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15
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MICU1 and MICU2 Play an Essential Role in Mitochondrial Ca 2+ Uptake, Growth, and Infectivity of the Human Pathogen Trypanosoma cruzi. mBio 2019; 10:mBio.00348-19. [PMID: 31064825 PMCID: PMC6509184 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00348-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake in trypanosomatids, which belong to the eukaryotic supergroup Excavata, shares biochemical characteristics with that of animals, which, together with fungi, belong to the supergroup Opisthokonta. However, the composition of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) complex in trypanosomatids is quite peculiar, suggesting lineage-specific adaptations. In this work, we used Trypanosoma cruzi to study the role of orthologs for mitochondrial calcium uptake 1 (MICU1) and MICU2 in mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake. T. cruzi MICU1 (TcMICU1) and TcMICU2 have mitochondrial targeting signals, two canonical EF-hand calcium-binding domains, and localize to the mitochondria. Using the CRISPR/Cas9 system (i.e., clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats with Cas9), we generated TcMICU1 and TcMICU2 knockout (-KO) cell lines. Ablation of either TcMICU1 or TcMICU2 showed a significantly reduced mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake in permeabilized epimastigotes without dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane potential or effects on the AMP/ATP ratio or citrate synthase activity. However, none of these proteins had a gatekeeper function at low cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]cyt), as occurs with their mammalian orthologs. TcMICU1-KO and TcMICU2-KO epimastigotes had a lower growth rate and impaired oxidative metabolism, while infective trypomastigotes have a reduced capacity to invade host cells and to replicate within them as amastigotes. The findings of this work, which is the first to study the role of MICU1 and MICU2 in organisms evolutionarily distant from animals, suggest that, although these components were probably present in the last eukaryotic common ancestor (LECA), they developed different roles during evolution of different eukaryotic supergroups. The work also provides new insights into the adaptations of trypanosomatids to their particular life styles.IMPORTANCE Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiologic agent of Chagas disease and belongs to the early-branching eukaryotic supergroup Excavata. Its mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) subunit shares similarity with the animal ortholog that was important to discover its encoding gene. In animal cells, the MICU1 and MICU2 proteins act as Ca2+ sensors and gatekeepers of the MCU, preventing Ca2+ uptake under resting conditions and favoring it at high cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]cyt). Using the CRISPR/Cas9 technique, we generated TcMICU1 and TcMICU2 knockout cell lines and showed that MICU1 and -2 do not act as gatekeepers at low [Ca2+]cyt but are essential for normal growth, host cell invasion, and intracellular replication, revealing lineage-specific adaptations.
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Lander N, Chiurillo MA, Bertolini MS, Storey M, Vercesi AE, Docampo R. Calcium-sensitive pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase is required for energy metabolism, growth, differentiation, and infectivity of Trypanosoma cruzi. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:17402-17417. [PMID: 30232153 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.004498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2018] [Revised: 09/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
In vertebrate cells, mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake by the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) leads to Ca2+-mediated stimulation of an intramitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase (PDP). This enzyme dephosphorylates serine residues in the E1α subunit of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), thereby activating PDH and resulting in increased ATP production. Although a phosphorylation/dephosphorylation cycle for the E1α subunit of PDH from nonvertebrate organisms has been described, the Ca2+-mediated PDP activation has not been studied. In this work, we investigated the Ca2+ sensitivity of two recombinant PDPs from the protozoan human parasites Trypanosoma cruzi (TcPDP) and T. brucei (TbPDP) and generated a TcPDP-KO cell line to establish TcPDP's role in cell bioenergetics and survival. Moreover, the mitochondrial localization of the TcPDP was studied by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated endogenous tagging. Our results indicate that TcPDP and TbPDP both are Ca2+-sensitive phosphatases. Of note, TcPDP-KO epimastigotes exhibited increased levels of phosphorylated TcPDH, slower growth and lower oxygen consumption rates than control cells, an increased AMP/ATP ratio and autophagy under starvation conditions, and reduced differentiation into infective metacyclic forms. Furthermore, TcPDP-KO trypomastigotes were impaired in infecting cultured host cells. We conclude that TcPDP is a Ca2+-stimulated mitochondrial phosphatase that dephosphorylates TcPDH and is required for normal growth, differentiation, infectivity, and energy metabolism in T. cruzi Our results support the view that one of the main roles of the MCU is linked to the regulation of intramitochondrial dehydrogenases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelia Lander
- From the Departamento de Patologia Clínica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, 13083, Brazil and
| | - Miguel A Chiurillo
- From the Departamento de Patologia Clínica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, 13083, Brazil and
| | - Mayara S Bertolini
- From the Departamento de Patologia Clínica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, 13083, Brazil and
| | - Melissa Storey
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602
| | - Anibal E Vercesi
- From the Departamento de Patologia Clínica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, 13083, Brazil and
| | - Roberto Docampo
- From the Departamento de Patologia Clínica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, 13083, Brazil and .,Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602
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Extensive flagellar remodeling during the complex life cycle of Paratrypanosoma, an early-branching trypanosomatid. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:11757-11762. [PMID: 29078369 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1712311114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Paratrypanosoma confusum is a monoxenous kinetoplastid flagellate that constitutes the most basal branch of the highly diverse parasitic trypanosomatids, which include human pathogens Trypanosoma and Leishmania This makes Paratrypanosoma uniquely informative for the evolution of obligatory parasitism from free-living lifestyle and the evolution of human parasitism in some trypanosomatid lineages. It has typical promastigote morphology but also forms surface-attached haptomonads and amastigotes. Haptomonads form by attachment to a surface via a large bulge at the base of the flagellum, which is then remodeled into a thin attachment pad associated with flagellum shortening. Promastigotes and haptomonads multiply by binary division, and the progeny of a haptomonad can either remain attached or grow a flagellum and resume swimming. Whole genome sequencing and transcriptome profiling, in combination with analysis of the cell ultrastructure, reveal how the cell surface and metabolism are adapted to parasitism and how characteristic cytoskeletal features are conserved. Our data demonstrate that surface attachment by the flagellum and the flagellar pocket, a Leishmania-like flagellum attachment zone, and a Trypanosoma cruzi-like cytostome are ancestral features, while evolution of extant trypanosomatids, including the human parasites, is associated with genome streamlining and diversification of membrane proteins.
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18
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Rowe M, Melnick J, Gerwien R, Legutki JB, Pfeilsticker J, Tarasow TM, Sykes KF. An ImmunoSignature test distinguishes Trypanosoma cruzi, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and West Nile virus seropositivity among asymptomatic blood donors. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005882. [PMID: 28873423 PMCID: PMC5600393 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2017] [Revised: 09/15/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The complexity of the eukaryotic parasite Trypanosoma (T.) cruzi manifests in its highly dynamic genome, multi-host life cycle, progressive morphologies and immune-evasion mechanisms. Accurate determination of infection or Chagas' disease activity and prognosis continues to challenge researchers. We hypothesized that a diagnostic platform with higher ligand complexity than previously employed may hold value. METHODOLOGY We applied the ImmunoSignature Technology (IST) for the detection of T. cruzi-specific antibodies among healthy blood donors. IST is based on capturing the information in an individual's antibody repertoire by exposing their peripheral blood to a library of >100,000 position-addressable, chemically-diverse peptides. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Initially, samples from two Chagas cohorts declared positive or negative by bank testing were studied. With the first cohort, library-peptides displaying differential binding signals between T. cruzi sero-states were used to train an algorithm. A classifier was fixed and tested against the training-independent second cohort to determine assay performance. Next, samples from a mixed cohort of donors declared positive for Chagas, hepatitis B, hepatitis C or West Nile virus were assayed on the same library. Signals were used to train a single algorithm that distinguished all four disease states. As a binary test, the accuracy of predicting T. cruzi seropositivity by IST was similar, perhaps modestly reduced, relative to conventional ELISAs. However, the results indicate that information beyond determination of seropositivity may have been captured. These include the identification of cohort subclasses, the simultaneous detection and discerning of other diseases, and the discovery of putative new antigens. CONCLUSIONS & SIGNIFICANCE The central outcome of this study established IST as a reliable approach for specific determination of T. cruzi seropositivity versus disease-free individuals or those with other diseases. Its potential contribution for monitoring and controlling Chagas lies in IST's delivery of higher resolution immune-state readouts than obtained with currently-used technologies. Despite the complexity of the ligand presentation and large quantitative readouts, performing an IST test is simple, scalable and reproducible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Rowe
- HealthTell, Inc., San Ramon, CA, United States of America
| | | | - Robert Gerwien
- HealthTell, Inc., San Ramon, CA, United States of America
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Amorim JC, Batista M, da Cunha ES, Lucena ACR, Lima CVDP, Sousa K, Krieger MA, Marchini FK. Quantitative proteome and phosphoproteome analyses highlight the adherent population during Trypanosoma cruzi metacyclogenesis. Sci Rep 2017; 7:9899. [PMID: 28852088 PMCID: PMC5574995 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-10292-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi metacyclogenesis is a natural process that occurs inside the triatomine vector and corresponds to the differentiation of non-infective epimastigotes into infective metacyclic trypomastigotes. The biochemical alterations necessary for the differentiation process have been widely studied with a focus on adhesion and nutritional stress. Here, using a mass spectrometry approach, a large-scale phospho(proteome) study was performed with the aim of understanding the metacyclogenesis processes in a quantitative manner. The results indicate that major modulations in the phospho(proteome) occur under nutritional stress and after 12 and 24 h of adhesion. Significant changes involve key cellular processes, such as translation, oxidative stress, and the metabolism of macromolecules, including proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates. Analysis of the signalling triggered by kinases and phosphatases from 7,336 identified phosphorylation sites demonstrates that 260 of these sites are modulated throughout the differentiation process, and some of these modulated proteins have previously been identified as drug targets in trypanosomiasis treatment. To the best of our knowledge, this study provides the first quantitative results highlighting the modulation of phosphorylation sites during metacyclogenesis and the greater coverage of the proteome to the parasite during this process. The data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier number PXD006171.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana C Amorim
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Carlos Chagas Institute, Fiocruz, Curitiba, Parana, Brazil
| | - Michel Batista
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Carlos Chagas Institute, Fiocruz, Curitiba, Parana, Brazil.,Mass Spectrometry Facility - RPT02H, Carlos Chagas Institute, Fiocruz, Curitiba, Parana, Brazil
| | - Elizabeth S da Cunha
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Carlos Chagas Institute, Fiocruz, Curitiba, Parana, Brazil
| | - Aline C R Lucena
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Carlos Chagas Institute, Fiocruz, Curitiba, Parana, Brazil
| | - Carla V de Paula Lima
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Carlos Chagas Institute, Fiocruz, Curitiba, Parana, Brazil
| | - Karla Sousa
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Carlos Chagas Institute, Fiocruz, Curitiba, Parana, Brazil
| | - Marco A Krieger
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Carlos Chagas Institute, Fiocruz, Curitiba, Parana, Brazil
| | - Fabricio K Marchini
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Carlos Chagas Institute, Fiocruz, Curitiba, Parana, Brazil. .,Mass Spectrometry Facility - RPT02H, Carlos Chagas Institute, Fiocruz, Curitiba, Parana, Brazil.
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20
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Lander N, Chiurillo MA, Storey M, Vercesi AE, Docampo R. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated endogenous C-terminal Tagging of Trypanosoma cruzi Genes Reveals the Acidocalcisome Localization of the Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptor. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:25505-25515. [PMID: 27793988 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.749655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2016] [Revised: 09/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Methods for genetic manipulation of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, have been highly inefficient, and no endogenous tagging of genes has been reported to date. We report here the use of the CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)/Cas9 (CRISPR-associated gene 9) system for endogenously tagging genes in this parasite. The utility of the method was established by tagging genes encoding proteins of known localization such as TcFCaBP (flagellar calcium binding protein) and TcVP1 (vacuolar proton pyrophosphatase), and two proteins of undefined or disputed localization, the TcMCU (mitochondrial calcium uniporter) and TcIP3R (inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor). We confirmed the flagellar and acidocalcisome localization of TcFCaBP and TcVP1 by co-localization with antibodies to the flagellum and acidocalcisomes, respectively. As expected, TcMCU was co-localized with the voltage-dependent anion channel to the mitochondria. However, in contrast to previous reports and our own results using overexpressed TcIP3R, endogenously tagged TcIP3R showed co-localization with antibodies against VP1 to acidocalcisomes. These results are also in agreement with our previous reports on the localization of this channel to acidocalcisomes of Trypanosoma brucei and suggest that caution should be exercised when overexpression of tagged genes is done to localize proteins in T. cruzi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelia Lander
- From the Departamento de Patologia Clínica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083, Brazil and
| | - Miguel A Chiurillo
- From the Departamento de Patologia Clínica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083, Brazil and
| | - Melissa Storey
- the Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
| | - Anibal E Vercesi
- From the Departamento de Patologia Clínica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083, Brazil and
| | - Roberto Docampo
- From the Departamento de Patologia Clínica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083, Brazil and .,the Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
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Molecular Characterization of a Novel Family of Trypanosoma cruzi Surface Membrane Proteins (TcSMP) Involved in Mammalian Host Cell Invasion. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2015; 9:e0004216. [PMID: 26565791 PMCID: PMC4643927 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2015] [Accepted: 10/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The surface coat of Trypanosoma cruzi is predominantly composed of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins, which have been extensively characterized. However, very little is known about less abundant surface proteins and their role in host-parasite interactions. Methodology/ Principal Findings Here, we described a novel family of T. cruzi surface membrane proteins (TcSMP), which are conserved among different T. cruzi lineages and have orthologs in other Trypanosoma species. TcSMP genes are densely clustered within the genome, suggesting that they could have originated by tandem gene duplication. Several lines of evidence indicate that TcSMP is a membrane-spanning protein located at the cellular surface and is released into the extracellular milieu. TcSMP exhibited the key elements typical of surface proteins (N-terminal signal peptide or signal anchor) and a C-terminal hydrophobic sequence predicted to be a trans-membrane domain. Immunofluorescence of live parasites showed that anti-TcSMP antibodies clearly labeled the surface of all T. cruzi developmental forms. TcSMP peptides previously found in a membrane-enriched fraction were identified by proteomic analysis in membrane vesicles as well as in soluble forms in the T. cruzi secretome. TcSMP proteins were also located intracellularly likely associated with membrane-bound structures. We demonstrated that TcSMP proteins were capable of inhibiting metacyclic trypomastigote entry into host cells. TcSMP bound to mammalian cells and triggered Ca2+ signaling and lysosome exocytosis, events that are required for parasitophorous vacuole biogenesis. The effects of TcSMP were of lower magnitude compared to gp82, the major adhesion protein of metacyclic trypomastigotes, suggesting that TcSMP may play an auxiliary role in host cell invasion. Conclusion/Significance We hypothesized that the productive interaction of T. cruzi with host cells that effectively results in internalization may depend on diverse adhesion molecules. In the metacyclic forms, the signaling induced by TcSMP may be additive to that triggered by the major surface molecule gp82, further increasing the host cell responses required for infection. Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiologic agent of Chagas’ disease, which infects 6–7 million people worldwide, mostly in Latin America. Currently, there are no vaccines available, and the drugs used for treatment are toxic and are not fully effective. To infect mammalian hosts, T. cruzi relies on the ability to invade host cells, replicate intracellularly and spread the infection in different organs of the mammalian host. Knowledge of the structure and function of T. cruzi surface molecules is fundamental to understanding the mechanisms by which the parasite interacts with its host. T. cruzi infective forms engage a repertoire of surface and secreted molecules, some of which are involved in triggering signaling pathways both in the parasite and the host cell, leading to intracellular Ca2+ mobilization, a process essential for parasite internalization. Here, we described a novel family of T. cruzi surface membrane proteins (TcSMP), including their genomic distribution, expression and cellular localization. We studied the mechanism of action of TcSMP in host-cell invasion and proposed a triggering role for TcSMP in host-cell lysosome exocytosis during metacyclic internalization. TcSMP genes are conserved among different T. cruzi lineages and share orthologs in other Trypanosoma species. These results suggest that the diversification of TcSMP genes in mammalian trypanosomes occurred after continental drift. In T. cruzi this gene family expanded by gene duplication.
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Triacylglycerol Storage in Lipid Droplets in Procyclic Trypanosoma brucei. PLoS One 2014; 9:e114628. [PMID: 25493940 PMCID: PMC4262433 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2014] [Accepted: 11/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Carbon storage is likely to enable adaptation of trypanosomes to nutritional challenges or bottlenecks during their stage development and migration in the tsetse. Lipid droplets are candidates for this function. This report shows that feeding of T. brucei with oleate results in a 4-5 fold increase in the number of lipid droplets, as quantified by confocal fluorescence microscopy and by flow cytometry of BODIPY 493/503-stained cells. The triacylglycerol (TAG) content also increased 4-5 fold, and labeled oleate is incorporated into TAG. Fatty acid carbon can thus be stored as TAG in lipid droplets under physiological growth conditions in procyclic T. brucei. β-oxidation has been suggested as a possible catabolic pathway for lipids in T. brucei. A single candidate gene, TFEα1 with coding capacity for a subunit of the trifunctional enzyme complex was identified. TFEα1 is expressed in procyclic T. brucei and present in glycosomal proteomes, Unexpectedly, a TFEα1 gene knock-out mutant still expressed wild-type levels of previously reported NADP-dependent 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase activity, and therefore, another gene encodes this enzymatic activity. Homozygous Δtfeα1/Δtfeα1 null mutant cells show a normal growth rate and an unchanged glycosomal proteome in procyclic T. brucei. The decay kinetics of accumulated lipid droplets upon oleate withdrawal can be fully accounted for by the dilution effect of cell division in wild-type and Δtfeα1/Δtfeα1 cells. The absence of net catabolism of stored TAG in procyclic T. brucei, even under strictly glucose-free conditions, does not formally exclude a flux through TAG, in which biosynthesis equals catabolism. Also, the possibility remains that TAG catabolism is completely repressed by other carbon sources in culture media or developmentally activated in post-procyclic stages in the tsetse.
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Abstract
A decade of genome sequencing has transformed our understanding of how
trypanosomatid parasites have evolved and provided fresh impetus to explaining
the origins of parasitism in the Kinetoplastida. In this review, I will consider
the many ways in which genome sequences have influenced our view of genomic
reduction in trypanosomatids; how species-specific genes, and the genomic
domains they occupy, have illuminated the innovations in trypanosomatid genomes;
and how comparative genomics has exposed the molecular mechanisms responsible
for innovation and adaptation to a parasitic lifestyle.
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Bernabó G, Levy G, Ziliani M, Caeiro LD, Sánchez DO, Tekiel V. TcTASV-C, a protein family in Trypanosoma cruzi that is predominantly trypomastigote-stage specific and secreted to the medium. PLoS One 2013; 8:e71192. [PMID: 23923058 PMCID: PMC3726618 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0071192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2013] [Accepted: 06/27/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Among the several multigene families codified by the genome of T. cruzi, the TcTASV family was the latest discovered. The TcTASV (Trypomastigote, Alanine, Serine, Valine) family is composed of ∼40 members, with conserved carboxi- and amino-termini but with a variable central core. According to the length and sequence of the central region the family is split into 3 subfamilies. The TcTASV family is conserved in the genomes of – at least – lineages TcI and TcVI and has no orthologues in other trypanosomatids. In the present work we focus on the study of the TcTASV-C subfamily, composed by 16 genes in the CL Brener strain. We determined that TcTASV-C is preferentially expressed in trypomastigotes, but it is not a major component of the parasite. Both immunoflourescence and flow cytometry experiments indicated that TcTASV-C has a clonal expression, i.e. it is not expressed by all the parasites of a certain population at the same time. We also determined that TcTASV-C is phosphorylated and glycosylated. TASV-C is attached to the parasite surface by a GPI anchor and is shed spontaneously into the medium. About 30% of sera from infected hosts reacted with TcTASV-C, confirming its exposition to the immune system. Its superficial localization and secretory nature suggest a possible role in host-parasite interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo Bernabó
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas – Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomus (IIB-INTECH), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) – Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gabriela Levy
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas – Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomus (IIB-INTECH), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) – Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Ziliani
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas – Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomus (IIB-INTECH), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) – Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lucas D. Caeiro
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas – Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomus (IIB-INTECH), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) – Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Daniel O. Sánchez
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas – Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomus (IIB-INTECH), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) – Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Valeria Tekiel
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas – Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomus (IIB-INTECH), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) – Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- * E-mail:
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Moraes Barros RR, Marini MM, Antônio CR, Cortez DR, Miyake AM, Lima FM, Ruiz JC, Bartholomeu DC, Chiurillo MA, Ramirez JL, da Silveira JF. Anatomy and evolution of telomeric and subtelomeric regions in the human protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. BMC Genomics 2012; 13:229. [PMID: 22681854 PMCID: PMC3418195 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-13-229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2011] [Accepted: 06/08/2012] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The subtelomeres of many protozoa are highly enriched in genes with roles in niche adaptation. T. cruzi trypomastigotes express surface proteins from Trans-Sialidase (TS) and Dispersed Gene Family-1 (DGF-1) superfamilies which are implicated in host cell invasion. Single populations of T. cruzi may express different antigenic forms of TSs. Analysis of TS genes located at the telomeres suggests that chromosome ends could have been the sites where new TS variants were generated. The aim of this study is to characterize telomeric and subtelomeric regions of T. cruzi available in TriTrypDB and connect the sequences of telomeres to T. cruzi working draft sequence. RESULTS We first identified contigs carrying the telomeric repeat (TTAGGG). Of 49 contigs identified, 45 have telomeric repeats at one end, whereas in four contigs the repeats are located internally. All contigs display a conserved telomeric junction sequence adjacent to the hexamer repeats which represents a signature of T. cruzi chromosome ends. We found that 40 telomeric contigs are located on T. cruzi chromosome-sized scaffolds. In addition, we were able to map several telomeric ends to the chromosomal bands separated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.The subtelomeric sequence structure varies widely, mainly as a result of large differences in the relative abundance and organization of genes encoding surface proteins (TS and DGF-1), retrotransposon hot spot genes (RHS), retrotransposon elements, RNA-helicase and N-acetyltransferase genes. While the subtelomeric regions are enriched in pseudogenes, they also contain complete gene sequences matching both known and unknown expressed genes, indicating that these regions do not consist of nonfunctional DNA but are instead functional parts of the expressed genome. The size of the subtelomeric regions varies from 5 to 182 kb; the smaller of these regions could have been generated by a recent chromosome breakage and telomere healing event. CONCLUSIONS The lack of synteny in the subtelomeric regions suggests that genes located in these regions are subject to recombination, which increases their variability, even among homologous chromosomes. The presence of typical subtelomeric genes can increase the chance of homologous recombination mechanisms or microhomology-mediated end joining, which may use these regions for the pairing and recombination of free ends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto R Moraes Barros
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia Escola Paulista de Medicina, UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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Abstract
The Trypanosoma cruzi genome contains the most widely expanded content (∼12,000 genes) of the trypanosomatids sequenced to date. This expansion is reflected in the high number of repetitive sequences and particularly in the large quantity of genes that make up its multigene families. Recently it was discovered that the contents of these families vary between phylogenetically unrelated strains. We review the basic characteristics of trans-sialidases and mucins as part of the mechanisms of immune evasion of T. cruzi and as ligands and factors involved in the cross talk between the host cell and the parasite. We also show recently published data describing two new multigene families, DGF-1 and MASP, that form an important part of the scenario representing the complex biology of T. cruzi.
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Li ZH, Alvarez VE, De Gaudenzi JG, Sant'Anna C, Frasch ACC, Cazzulo JJ, Docampo R. Hyperosmotic stress induces aquaporin-dependent cell shrinkage, polyphosphate synthesis, amino acid accumulation, and global gene expression changes in Trypanosoma cruzi. J Biol Chem 2011; 286:43959-43971. [PMID: 22039054 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m111.311530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The protist parasite Trypanosoma cruzi has evolved the ability to transit between completely different hosts and to replicate in adverse environments. In particular, the epimastigote form, the replicative stage inside the vector, is subjected to nutritional and osmotic stresses during its development. In this work, we describe the biochemical and global gene expression changes of epimastigotes under hyperosmotic conditions. Hyperosmotic stress resulted in cell shrinking within a few minutes. Depending on the medium osmolarity, this was followed by lack of volume recovery for at least 2 h or by slow recovery. Experiments with inhibitors, or with cells in which an aquaporin gene (TcAQP1) was knocked down or overexpressed, revealed its importance for the cellular response to hyperosmotic stress. Furthermore, the adaptation to this new environment was shown to involve the regulation of the polyphosphate polymerization state as well as changes in amino acid catabolism to generate compatible osmolytes. A genome-wide transcriptional analysis of stressed parasites revealed down-regulation of genes belonging to diverse functional categories and up-regulation of genes encoding trans-sialidase-like and ribosomal proteins. Several of these changes were confirmed by Northern blot analyses. Sequence analysis of the 3'UTRs of up- and down-regulated genes allowed the identification of conserved structural RNA motifs enriched in each group, suggesting that specific ribonucleoprotein complexes could be of great importance in the adaptation of this parasite to different environments through regulation of transcript abundance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhu-Hong Li
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
| | - Vanina E Alvarez
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602; Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnólogicas, Universidad Nacional de General San Martin/Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, 1650 San Martin, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Javier G De Gaudenzi
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnólogicas, Universidad Nacional de General San Martin/Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, 1650 San Martin, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Celso Sant'Anna
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
| | - Alberto C C Frasch
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnólogicas, Universidad Nacional de General San Martin/Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, 1650 San Martin, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juan J Cazzulo
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnólogicas, Universidad Nacional de General San Martin/Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, 1650 San Martin, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Roberto Docampo
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602.
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Ulrich PN, Jimenez V, Park M, Martins VP, Atwood J, Moles K, Collins D, Rohloff P, Tarleton R, Moreno SNJ, Orlando R, Docampo R. Identification of contractile vacuole proteins in Trypanosoma cruzi. PLoS One 2011; 6:e18013. [PMID: 21437209 PMCID: PMC3060929 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0018013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2010] [Accepted: 02/22/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Contractile vacuole complexes are critical components of cell volume regulation
and have been shown to have other functional roles in several free-living
protists. However, very little is known about the functions of the contractile
vacuole complex of the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the
etiologic agent of Chagas disease, other than a role in osmoregulation.
Identification of the protein composition of these organelles is important for
understanding their physiological roles. We applied a combined proteomic and
bioinfomatic approach to identify proteins localized to the contractile vacuole.
Proteomic analysis of a T. cruzi fraction enriched for
contractile vacuoles and analyzed by one-dimensional gel electrophoresis and
LC-MS/MS resulted in the addition of 109 newly detected proteins to the group of
expressed proteins of epimastigotes. We also identified different peptides that
map to at least 39 members of the dispersed gene family 1 (DGF-1) providing
evidence that many members of this family are simultaneously expressed in
epimastigotes. Of the proteins present in the fraction we selected several
homologues with known localizations in contractile vacuoles of other organisms
and others that we expected to be present in these vacuoles on the basis of
their potential roles. We determined the localization of each by expression as
GFP-fusion proteins or with specific antibodies. Six of these putative proteins
(Rab11, Rab32, AP180, ATPase subunit B, VAMP1, and phosphate transporter)
predominantly localized to the vacuole bladder. TcSNARE2.1, TcSNARE2.2, and
calmodulin localized to the spongiome. Calmodulin was also cytosolic. Our
results demonstrate the utility of combining subcellular fractionation,
proteomic analysis, and bioinformatic approaches for localization of organellar
proteins that are difficult to detect with whole cell methodologies. The CV
localization of the proteins investigated revealed potential novel roles of
these organelles in phosphate metabolism and provided information on the
potential participation of adaptor protein complexes in their biogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul N. Ulrich
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global
Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens,
Georgia, United States of America
| | - Veronica Jimenez
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global
Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens,
Georgia, United States of America
| | - Miyoung Park
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global
Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens,
Georgia, United States of America
| | - Vicente P. Martins
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global
Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens,
Georgia, United States of America
| | - James Atwood
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center,
University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Kristen Moles
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global
Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens,
Georgia, United States of America
| | - Dalis Collins
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global
Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens,
Georgia, United States of America
| | - Peter Rohloff
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global
Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens,
Georgia, United States of America
| | - Rick Tarleton
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global
Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens,
Georgia, United States of America
| | - Silvia N. J. Moreno
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global
Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens,
Georgia, United States of America
| | - Ron Orlando
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center,
University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Roberto Docampo
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global
Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens,
Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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29
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Martins C, Reis-Cunha J, Silva M, Pereira E, Pappas Jr. G, Bartholomeu D, Zingales B. Identification of genes encoding hypothetical proteins in open-reading frame expressed sequence tags from mammalian stages of Trypanosoma cruzi. GENETICS AND MOLECULAR RESEARCH 2011; 10:1589-630. [DOI: 10.4238/vol10-3gmr1140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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